ST. LOUIS – Hundreds of students within the St. Louis Public School District were left stranded Monday morning after many Missouri Central Bus Company drivers called off.
The shortage of drivers comes after a mechanic, Amin Mitchell, found a noose last week near his work station.
Close to 100 drivers called off sick Monday and rallied at a local park to support their co-worker.
Mitchell said he discovered the noose a day after having an argument with his manager, who is white.
“(My co-workers) are here supporting me by standing behind me, knowing that this can’t be something that is swept under the rug,” he said.
Before working for Missouri Central Bus Company, Mitchell served six years in the Army.
His colleagues did not want to be identified, telling FOX 2 they were in fear of retaliation. Several claimed they work in an unsafe and hostile environment, with no efforts being made to resolve the issue.
According to Mitchell, employees have experienced racial and sexual harassment, as well as driving under unsafe conditions.
At this point, it remains unclear how the noose got to Mitchell’s station.
The St. Louis Public School District said the internal strife at the bus company led to a quarter of bus routes being affected. All after-school activities were canceled, with only playoff games still taking place.
The district also sent a letter to parents, sharing their hope that the situation would be fixed within the company quickly.
Regional Operations Manager at Missouri Central Bus Company, Scott Allen, shared the following statement:
“At Missouri Central, our policy is to provide and foster a work environment that is welcoming to all regardless of age, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. There is zero tolerance for any behavior that violates this policy. As such, we are hiring an independent third party this week to investigate these allegations, and we will take whatever action is deemed necessary based on what we learn. We are working diligently to minimize service disruptions for our students, families, and administrators as we understand how important it is for our children to be educated.”
