Pueblo mother says her child with special needs was abandoned at school, D60 claims miscommunication

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Laura Cunningham says her son, 19-year-old Spencer, was left at Roundup Fellowship School in Colorado Springs after a bus driver allegedly refused to pick her son up from school. Her son has special needs and is non-verbal.

"I'm devastated. You don't drop someone off not expecting to pick them up and you get a phone call saying my son has been abandoned," Cunningham said. "It's heart-wrenching to know that someone could be that heartless and leave someone there like that."

Cunningham says her son takes a bus provided by Student Transportation of America to and from school every day after getting accommodations through District 60 to attend a school that fits his needs. On February 24, Cunningham says she received a call saying the bus driver was refusing to drive her son after an incident that happened earlier in February.

On February 9, Cunningham says her son became agitated on the bus after not being buckled in properly. That led to him biting a parent and the school bus driver.

"I believed that he needed to go to the bathroom. He became agitated and bit a parent and the bus driver. They were, in his eyes, ignoring him," Cunningham said.

Dalton Sprouse, D60 Director of Communications, says the straps inside the bus were provided by Cunningham and that her son has knowledge of how to unbuckle these straps without their knowledge.

"The student was properly restrained on the day of this incident. Since this incident occurred, we have gone into action and immediately ordered a new safety harness that is even more restrictive but is more appropriate for a student with these special needs," Sprouse said.

Sprouse says Spencer was never left unattended on Feb. 24 but was delayed on his return home due to a miscommunication.

"The bus driver did leave the property, but once we were notified that the mother was not coming to pick up her son on that day, Student Transportation of America did send a new bus to pick him up," Sprouse said.

Despite the incident, District 60 and Student Transportation of America say they haven't refused to take Spencer home. Rather, Cunningham says she's decided to take her son to school because she does not trust that the school bus driver and the district have his best interest at heart.

The district told KRDO they are doing everything they can for her child. They say they're paying a person to ride with him both ways to ensure his safety. Additionally, they are reimbursing Cunningham for every mile she chooses to drive her son to and from school.

"We have a registered behavioral therapist that is on the bus with that student that we are paying for. We have also given our bus drivers training on special needs accommodations," Sprouse said.

Still, Cunningham says she wants more changes to be made for her son. That includes who drives the bus.

"I want a new bus driver. I'll feel much better with a new bus driver, but that has been refused so far. If you strap him in the harness correctly, that won't be an issue either," Cunningham said.