KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffFour year old dropped off bus at wrong school

Four year old dropped off bus at wrong school

By CJ Cassidy - bio | email

CHARLESTON, MO (KFVS) - How would you react if your child ended up at the wrong school?

A Charleston mom says it happened to her, but it isn't the incident itself but how it was handled that has her concerned.

The child's mother, Cortney Bailey, says she found out what happened when her four-year-old son told her about it.

She wants to know why she didn't hear about it from school leaders.

"This is a four-year-old boy, and something that traumatic, I should have been notified immediately," Bailey said.

Bailey admits her son looks older than a four year old. She says that may have added to the confusion.

"He said when he got off the bus it wasn't his school it was his sister's school," she said.

Wyatt Bailey is in kindergarten.  Wednesday morning he ended up at the elementary school instead.

"I said 'No I go to kindergarten.' He said "No you don't, you go to first grade,"" Wyatt said.

"I understand mistakes happen.  It was a substitute bus driver with all the kids getting off the bus, it happens," Cortney said, but she adds that the school principal dropped her son off at the right school without calling her first.

"In the policy handbook it is said in black and white that a child will not be taken off school property unless written permission is received by the parent or guardian.  They did not call me did not get any permission."

"I don't think we can ever go wrong by calling our parents," said Charleston Public School Superintendent Andrew Rogers.  "By calling any parents.  I think this was a situation where somebody made a decision following what they thought was the right thing.  I truly don't believe anyone made any mistakes.  We kept our student safe." 

He also says all Charleston principals are covered by school insurance.

Meanwhile, Cortney Bailey says she wants to make sure she's always in the know when it comes to her child, and as for Wyatt, he seemed ready to move on to another topic.

"I like playing with my friends!" he said.

Interestingly enough, Cortney Bailey works at the Charleston School District as a staff member.

She says she felt strongly enough about the issue to want to speak out.

©2009 KFVS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.