DALLAS - A camera captured images of a mentally challenged-bipolar student being choked by a school bus driver in Dallas.

On a normal day, the Dallas County bus driver, Janet Pitts, would have a monitor on board to help with students like Xavier, a middle school student. But that wasn't the case one day in January. The monitor couldn't make it that day.

Within minutes of the bus pulling away from the school, Xavier began to act up by moving around the bus and shouting obscenities.

Watching the video, Pitts' patience begins to visibly wear out.

"I'm stopping to come get you," she said.

Xavier starts rapping and then throws a can at Pitts.

"You want me to beat you [expletive]?" Pitts can be heard yelling at Xavier. "You don't do that no more. You hear me? Don't do that no more. Sit down, do you understand?"

Back at the wheel, Pitts continues to voice her frustration.

"He threw a can up here, I got up and choked the [expletive] out of his [expletive]," she said.

Just weeks ago, News 8 set out with only the tape in hand to find out the details of the incident. Once News 8 found Xavier's family, it was discovered they were never informed of the incident.

For the first time, Xavier's mom - Claudia Nava - saw the video, which was recorded nine months ago. The same week of the incident, Nava reported scratches on her son. A Dallas County employee followed up but never told Nava the driver admitted to choking her son.

"It makes me really mad," Nava said.

Nava said she knows her son can be violent. She requested a monitor to be on board the bus for that very reason.

"I want everyone to understand he's not acting that way because he wants to," she said. "He just can't express himself."

Dale Kiser, with the National Education Association, says it isn't the driver's fault. Instead, he blames the system.

"It's been stated, documented [and] everything else that there should always be a monitor on this particular student on that bus," he said.

But the county disagrees.

"There was nothing that was written that said there had to be a monitor on that bus with that child," said Deanne Hullender, a spokeswoman for Dallas County Schools.

That's not true according to the special education department. Documents obtained by News 8 show "there was a request made [by special education] that there should be a monitor on the bus at all times due to this child's aggressive behavior."

However, getting that help isn't always easy. There are only 150 monitors for all 4,500 Dallas special education students.

Hiring more costs money the district doesn't have.

"The district pays for the monitors," said Rick Sorrells, Dallas County superintendent.

Documents show dozens of incidents where special education bus drivers were forced to take off without backup. That didn't help Pitts' case. She was terminated, but appealed the decision.

A note from the director of transportation dated back in April read "get this driver off a DISD bus." The board decided to reinstate Pitts in April.

As for why Nava wasn't given information about the incident, educators say they have to protect personnel matters by the book.

"That's privileged information," Kiser said. "That sort of thing isn't readily shared with anybody."

Now, seven months later - only after the family started asking questions and News 8 prepared to run a report - things changed. Last week, the board called a special meeting to terminate Pitts from the county. She resigned before that happened.

"God knows how many other incidents have happened," Nava said.

Tapes on board the Dallas County busses often don't work. VCRs have been reported out of order and tapes broken or missing.

"If it is bumpy, with the older technology, the tapes themselves could eject," Sorrells said.

At the cost of a million dollars, Dallas County does plan to upgrade each bus with better technology. It's something the superintendent says is a must after an incident like Xavier's.

"One of those is too many to have if we can't review it," he said.

Because of the incident, the county has changed its policies. Now, all special education bus drivers must be certified to properly restrain children. Monitors must also be present, even if it means an administrator has to hop on the bus at the last minute.

As for Pitts and the school district, neither would comment in relation to the story.

wow thats just wrong.....

I saw the video on the news.

IF THAT STUDENT WITH SPECIAL NEEDS HAVE TO WEAR A MONITOR SYSTEM ,THEN HE NEED A ONE/ONE ASSISTANT FOR THE ENTIRE TIME OF SCHOOL HOURS PLUS TRANSPORTATION. IN THIS CASE IS NOT LEGAL TO SEND A MENTALLY DISABLE INDIVIDUAL ALONE WITH THE BUS DRIVER .THE BUS DRIVER HAVE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A BUS ATTENDANT. THE BUS DRIVER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INCIDENTS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE BUS .HIS JOB IS DRIVING AND NOTHING ELSE .IF THE SCHOOL DON'T PROVIDE A BUS ATTENDANT THE FAMILY HAVE TO PAY ONE .

THE BUS DRIVER HAVE ALSO THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TRANSPORTING ALONE A STUDENT IF HIS BEHAVIOR IS AGGRESSIVE. SOME PEOPLE JUST NOT READING THE POLICIES AND RIGHTS WHEN THEY GET HIRED

But...the bus driver doesn't have the right to choke a student.

BUT HE HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TRANSPORTING HIM .IS NOT UP TO THE SCHOOL .THIS IS THE DHS POLICIES.I WORK IN THE FIELD , IT HAPPENDS TO ME AND IS THERE A HOT LINE NR. TO CALL.

As for why Nava wasn't given information about the incident, educators say they have to protect personnel matters by the book.

"That's privileged information," Kiser said. "That sort of thing isn't readily shared with anybody."

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What the hell does this mean? Someone chokes your kid & you don't have to be told because this abuser is protected?

Here a bus driver dropped a 9 yr girl off 2 miles from her home[middle of no where] because she ticked him off.He was fired.Thank god the kid didn't get kidnapped or hurt.
Put your hand on my kid or dump him off in no where land and you will feel my wrath.

the kid was on a special ed bus and the school is supposed to provide for special needs kids.

Man I grew up 30 miles east of Austin, and my cousins bus driver fell asleep at the wheel, with a load of children. The bus went off the road into a cow pasture and then a tank. Thank God it was summer and there wasnt very much water in the tank. She was fired, and I had to drive ALL my cousins to school from then on because we wouldnt trust the school bus anymore.
I could tell you some stories that would send shivers down your spine, and it makes me wonder, Who are we entrusting our children to? I dont have my son in daycare for a reason. Cant trust anyone these days.

I agree. We are to tolerant fighting about everything.

What if she would of continued and he came up and hit her in the head with something and she crashed into a simi and killed everyone?

Who would you blame then?

It is amazing to me being in HS in the 70's and riding the bus from k-10th grade you got kicked off for anyreason the bus driver wanted.

I can remember a fight and the Bus driver stopped the buss in the middle of no where and threw the 2 off the Buss and told them you tell your parents to call me and set up an appointment for us to talk before you get back on the bus.

No one questioned that bus drivers actions.

the oppisite he was applauded for taking action to secure the safety of the bus.

Now what would happen to that bus driver now if he put your kid off the bus 5 miles from his home?

fired!!

And then has to deal with this angry mom!!

Times have changed.

When I went to school, back in the dark ages, teachers and bus drivers and worse yet nuns were all completely capable of beating your ass.

You took it and you liked it because if you didn't it might happen again.

I was only hit once in school. An elementary teacher, Miss Struck caught me reciting a not so nice school yard rhyme about her. She lived up to her name and slapped me hard across the face. I stood and took it and when I went home I got another for my trouble.

I didn't hit my kids. I did sit on them and put the fear of god in them a few times. Teen aged girls are odd creatures!

I do not advocate hitting kids. Still, when they took the possibility out of the equation it seems things went a little nutso.

In this case you have a special needs child which changes things a bit.

Schools are hard pressed now with no money and parental abdication of responsibility, with working parents who no matter how much they want to be there cannot because of work, the schools are parents, disciplinarians, and counselors.

I don't envy them.

Wow, Lynann. I can't believe that a teacher slapped you in the face. That is just wrong!!

I am almost 50. Things were very different then.

We had a teacher that kept a length of garden hose in her desk drawer. More than one kid got acquainted with it over the years.

I have no issues with being slapped.

I'm almost 50 too.

I thought this was bad: In first grade I had to use the restroom. The teacher said, "NO." I went anyway. When I came back I had to open my hand and get slapped by a ruler.

The other bad thing was in 4th grade. I had gum. So the teacher made me stand facing the blackboard with my face against it.

We knew the principal had the "Board of Education" in his office but I never knew of him using it.

Lynann

Wow i woulod never of guessed we grew up in the same culture. I am almost 49.

Yes you are right about back then. Personally I believe we would have safe schools if things have not changed so much.

I remember when I was getting ready to graduate that the princible and a teacher had a set of business band radio's they had been given to try out.

Oh me and a bunch of students were outraged. This was not fair.

now any school of any size around here has at least one full time cop at the school.

You may of even seen recently at Hickman HS in Columbia MO. where a student with a video phone took a small movie of the schools cop breaking up a fight between 2 girls and 1 more who said she was just trying to help jumped in and he threw her across the hall and handcuffed her as he called for backup. It is all over U Tube.

But we did not even think about killing each other or a bomb or even trying to say a teacher was in the wrong. Your parents really gave it to you then for not accepting responcibility.

I never realized I was abused till i was almost 40 probally. At least what we are told now but i do not think my parents abused me even though a few times I must admitt i through it up in thier face and felt bad later because it really was not true.

I got some good beatens but I know i did not want it again so i did as i was told.

now shut my kids i can remember said they was calling 911 we said go ahead here is the phone . And they did . little brats

Then we ended up having to talk to DFS..

Taught my children who was in charge right thier I can tell you that

Lynann

Wow i woulod never of guessed we grew up in the same culture. I am almost 49.

Yes you are right about back then. Personally I believe we would have safe schools if things have not changed so much.

I remember when I was getting ready to graduate that the princible and a teacher had a set of business band radio's they had been given to try out.

Oh me and a bunch of students were outraged. This was not fair.

now any school of any size around here has at least one full time cop at the school.

You may of even seen recently at Hickman HS in Columbia MO. where a student with a video phone took a small movie of the schools cop breaking up a fight between 2 girls and 1 more who said she was just trying to help jumped in and he threw her across the hall and handcuffed her as he called for backup. It is all over U Tube.

But we did not even think about killing each other or a bomb or even trying to say a teacher was in the wrong. Your parents really gave it to you then for not accepting responcibility.

I never realized I was abused till i was almost 40 probally. At least what we are told now but i do not think my parents abused me even though a few times I must admitt i through it up in thier face and felt bad later because it really was not true.

I got some good beatens but I know i did not want it again so i did as i was told.

now shut my kids i can remember said they was calling 911 we said go ahead here is the phone . And they did . little brats

Then we ended up having to talk to DFS..

Taught my children who was in charge right thier I can tell you that