Perhaps you remember riding the school bus as a child. But your experience was most likely determined by the generation in which you grew up. For the older generation, while children were certainly noisy and sometimes even naughty, they were considerably more respectful of their elders. But in this day and age, bus drivers face a whole new set of challenges from disrespectful children who seem to have no idea of how to behave in a public setting.

 

63-year-old Patrick Brennan, a school bus driver in Melvindale, is now faced with a misdemeanor child abuse charge because of the way in which he is alleged to have dealt with a group of misbehaving children on his bus.

 

According to court records, the incident that got Brennan into trouble took place recently in the Detroit suburb where he drives the bus. Brennan was transporting a group of Allendale Elementary Students, when a number of the students began misbehaving. They were said to be yelling and acting in an unacceptable manner, which upset Brennan.

 

In a statement released by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, the following explains what actions Brennan took that prompted the charges: “It is alleged that the driver became angry, got some ice from outside and threw it in the bus at the children. It hit an 11-year-old girl in the head causing her to bleed.”

 

The girl, who was not one of the misbehaving children, arrived home sporting a minor cut on her face above her left eye, and some blood on her scarf. Her parents contacted the police and reported the incident.

 

Brennan was arrested that same day, and is now facing single counts of fourth degree child abuse, and assault and battery, both of which are misdemeanors under Michigan law. Both charges are punishable by up to one year in jail.