Utah Mother Alleges Racism After Son Trapped and Dragged Between School Bus Doors

The mother of a boy who was trapped between the doors of a school bus by the driver and dragged, has filed a lawsuit against Davis School District and two transportation officials, alleging her son was subjected to assault and racial discrimination.

Security footage of the incident was released by Sykes McAllister Law, the firm representing the mother, Brenda Mayes, and her 14-year-son. The video was shot from inside the bus and shows students alighting at West Point Junior High School on the morning of February 4. When Mayes’ son goes to step out, the doors of the bus are closed on him, trapping him between them. The driver, John Naisbett, then drives more than 150 feet, dragging the boy, before he stops the bus and opens the doors again. The legal complaint claims the boy was trapped deliberately, was hanging “mere inches from the wheels of the bus,” and that his life was endangered.

Mayes said she raised the issue later that day with school and transportation officials, including Davis School District Transportation Director David Roberts.

The lawsuit alleges that Naisbett “was driven by racial animus to commit assaults and acts of bullying on mixed race students assigned to his bus routes.” It also alleges that school and transportation officials, including Roberts, repeatedly “ignored or deflected” complaints made about “the racially motivated and abusive conduct of Naisbitt towards mixed race children,” and that their inaction amounted to a tacit approval of the driver’s behavior.

According to Fox 13, Naisbett said he retired three days after the incident to avoid being fired. When asked if was racist, Naisbett reportedly replied: “Not at all. No. Look at my dog. He’s as black as could be.” He also claimed he did not see the boy stuck between the bus doors, and that the incident was staged after he had disciplined the boy’s brother. Credit: Davis School District via Storyful