Update (7:12 p.m.): The original video has been taken down. A copy is available here.
A video was uploaded by Youtube user Jonathan Fletcher yesterday purportedly showing a fight taking place on an Iowa City Community School bus.
The video, which is a little over two minutes long, shows a group of about three students shouting toward the front of a school bus with an adult wearing an orange vest — presumably the bus driver — sitting in the driver’s seat for the duration of the subsequent brawl.
About fifteen seconds in, two students begin trading blows after which several more students rush to the front of the bus to engage in the altercation. For the next thirty seconds, about a half dozen students continue the fight, which slowly moves toward the back of the bus. The adult in front is seen looking back several times throughout the incident, but does not immediately act.
About halfway through the video, one student is heard urging the students to stop, though others are encouraging the fight and still more record with their cell phones. At this point, the fight appears to continue for some time between a female and male student while one student chants “hit his ass.” Shrieking can also be heard. Eventually, a student previously involved in the altercation appears to intervene before the fight continues once again toward the front of the bus.
The video ends when, after two minutes of fighting, the adult at the front of the bus stands up and begins walking toward the students. The bus does not appear to be moving at any point throughout the video.
When reached by phone, an official on behalf of the Iowa City Community School district mentioned that the district is looking into the incident alongside Durham School Bus Services, the district’s bus contractor.
The official referred Little Village to Kate Moreland, the director of community relations for the Iowa City Community School District. Moreland could not be reached by phone, but mentioned in a follow-up email to Little Village, “I am looking into this and will get back with you.”
A message has been left with Durham School Bus Services’s safety and operations manager seeking comment.
A lower quality version of this video — oriented so that the image is right-side up — is available here.
What is most disturbing about this video is the lack of interference on behalf of the driver. The bus looks to be stopped. Throw the emergency blinkers on and deal with the situation. Very sad!
The students that seating on the back in bus was the first one to start fight with the student that seating on front
The students that seating on the back, they was the one who started this fight
On behalf of the driver, he did everything right. We are specifically instructed NOT to intervene. We are supposed to get on the radio and call in for help. We can not be on the radio giving emergency information to dispatch so they can take appropriate action to get us help, if we are beaten or worse trying to stop a fight.
I can also say, I heard the entire thing over the radio that day. Yes, the bus was stopped, at a red light. The driver had to get through busy traffic to get the bus to a safe location to pull over. Put yourself in his situation. I did, and I am thankful it wasn’t me. You could hear that it was an intense situation, and until in that spot no one should judge, he did his job as we are trained. Kudos to him for handling the situation perfectly, without creating more danger to himself and others by trying to put an end to it, and notifying dispatch of pertinent information so police could be notified and come take control.