A Pennsylvania school bus driver has been fired after posting a sign that prohibited students from speaking Spanish, saying she was trying to prevent bullying rather than being racially insensitive.
Diane Crawford, 66, lost her 30-year job with the Juniata County School District after putting up a handwritten sign stating: “Out of respect to English only students there will be NO speaking Spanish on this bus.” The sign drew widespread criticism.
“I didn’t mean to be racially insensitive or anything like that,” Crawford told Local 21 News last week, wiping away tears.
Since her dismissal, Crawford has been relying on Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits. She also said the situation led her to begin taking antidepressants.
Crawford, who owned the bus and was subcontracted by Rohrer Bus, said she was informed that her contract had been terminated the night after she posted the sign. “I think I just instantly went into shock,” she said.
Crawford said the sign was meant to encourage respectful behavior and was aimed at one particular bilingual student whom she suspected might be causing issues by speaking Spanish. “I didn’t know if he was bullying somebody or telling them to do something he shouldn’t,” she said. “I thought I heard him saying ‘Gordo,’ and while I understand some of the words, I don’t know who he was talking to. I assumed it was directed at me.”
(“Gordo” is Spanish for “fat.”)
The Juniata County School District and Rohrer Bus released a joint statement saying the investigation was completed quickly after Crawford admitted to posting the sign. “While initial communications referenced a suspension pending investigation, the matter progressed quickly once the written statement was received, and a final decision was made without delay,” the statement said.
Video Credit: local21news.com