Anonymous wrote:This can’t keep happening. I recommend background checks done every year

It will keep happening. Every two years would be fine with cameras in the school and buses with monitoring.

Anonymous wrote:http://www.mymcpnews.com/2018/08/06/mcps-bus-driver-charged-with-sexual-offenses/

The investigation revealed that on Tuesday, July 31 at approximately 12:30 p.m., a MCPS school bus transporting students receiving special education services was stopped in the area of Yates Road in Silver Spring. During the time that the school bus attendant left the bus to assist in the drop off of another student, the driver who remained on the bus, sexually assaulted the 12-year-old female victim. The investigation resulted in charges for inappropriate sexual contact.

The school bus camera captured video of the assault.

RE: Background checks - they don't screen for people who haven't yet committed a crime but will ...

Raping a student on camera does not get him fired.

What happened to the MCPS Employee Code of Conduct?

Anonymous wrote:How long was the aide off the bus?!?

Wondering the same! That is crazy. What a terrible story.

Anonymous wrote:Here is the link to the list of his bus routes:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/publicinfo/EKabongo-BusRouteInformationV2.pdf

Thanks for that link.

How long was the aide off the bus?!?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there cameras on the busses?

Not all have the interior cameras. And not all the cameras work.

from the article "During the time that the school bus attendant left the bus to assist in the drop off of another student, the driver who remained on the bus, sexually assaulted the 12-year-old female victim. The investigation resulted in charges for inappropriate sexual contact.

The school bus camera captured video of the assault.

Bus operator Etienne K. Kabongo, age 62, of the 7800 block of Mineral Springs Drive in Gaithersburg was arrested on August 5 and charged with second-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense and the sexual abuse of a minor. He is currently being held without bond and is expected to have a bond review today at 1 p.m."

http://www.mymcpnews.com/2018/08/06/mcps-bus-driver-charged-with-sexual-offenses/

The investigation revealed that on Tuesday, July 31 at approximately 12:30 p.m., a MCPS school bus transporting students receiving special education services was stopped in the area of Yates Road in Silver Spring. During the time that the school bus attendant left the bus to assist in the drop off of another student, the driver who remained on the bus, sexually assaulted the 12-year-old female victim. The investigation resulted in charges for inappropriate sexual contact.

The school bus camera captured video of the assault.

RE: Background checks - they don't screen for people who haven't yet committed a crime but will ...

Seems like he was not suspended “a while ago” unless you consider 6 days that long. But it does sound like MCPS responded quickly.

Anonymous wrote:Aren't there cameras on the busses?

Not all have the interior cameras. And not all the cameras work.

Aren't there cameras on the busses?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the link to the list of his bus routes:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/publicinfo/EKabongo-BusRouteInformationV2.pdf

Fewer schools than I thought.

I’m surprised there wasn’t an aide on the bus at all times.

Is it standard practice to have an aide on the special-education buses, in addition to the bus driver?

Terrible!!!

I too am surprised. On DS' bus there is always an aide.

Perhaps it was the aide that turned him in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty sure he has been suspended a while ago.

Source?

DP. The letter from Jack Smith in the OP.

He was immediately placed on leave when we were made aware of the allegations. Mr. Kabongo will not be returning to our buses or schools.

Do you know when they were made aware?

There’s no news coverage if his arrest that I can find. I would not be surprised to learn that he was arrested earlier today or over the weekend.

He was arrested on the 2nd (I just checked Maryland Judiciary Case Search).

Anonymous wrote:

Do you know when they were made aware?

There’s no news coverage if his arrest that I can find. I would not be surprised to learn that he was arrested earlier today or over the weekend.

According to my reading of Maryland court records, the incident was on July 31, the warrant was issued on August 2, and he was arrested on August 5 (yesterday). But I am not a lawyer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the link to the list of his bus routes:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/publicinfo/EKabongo-BusRouteInformationV2.pdf

Fewer schools than I thought.

I’m surprised there wasn’t an aide on the bus at all times.

Is it standard practice to have an aide on the special-education buses, in addition to the bus driver?

Terrible!!!

I too am surprised. On DS' bus there is always an aide.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the link to the list of his bus routes:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/publicinfo/EKabongo-BusRouteInformationV2.pdf

Fewer schools than I thought.

I’m surprised there wasn’t an aide on the bus at all times.

Is it standard practice to have an aide on the special-education buses, in addition to the bus driver?

The special ed buses that serve my MS all have dedicated aides.