MyFox
 

John Deutzman's Blog

by John_Deutzman from New York City

Last Post 25 days, 5 hours Ago


Renegade School Vans
Jan 15, 2008 | 8:46 PM
Category: News
Report This Post

This story came from a very simple tip. Someone thought there was something weird about two vans with Pennsylvania plates transporting kids to and from school in Brooklyn. That's all we had to go on. You saw the end result.

WATCH THE REPORT

A huge chunk of the stories we do come from tips. Tips like this one are solid because the law doesn't allow out-of-state vehicles to transport kids to and from school in New York.

So it's the little stuff things that don't look or feel right to you that always leads to bigger stuff.

John

11 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 11
Page 1 of 1
jmax123 read my blog view my photos
Jan 16, 2008 | 12:18 AM

Who hired this driver, the school district or the parents?
The parents must be mortified watching the video of their children being driven through red lights!
John you are so funny, I had to laugh and be angry at the same time.

Kudos to the tipster!

Jane
ANTHONYD read my blog
Jan 16, 2008 | 11:20 AM

For everyones information it is illegal for anything other than a yellow school bus with flashing lights to pick up and drop off children all the way until kids get out of highschool. The school bus is built at the highest standard to ensure that kids will not get injured like a regular van or coach bus in the case of a vehicle rolling over a school bus will not get crushed. So to all parents coaches and athletic directors make sure you hire yellow school buses it may save your childs life
Sanctus read my blog view my photos
Jan 16, 2008 | 3:49 PM

Wow! Good piece. I missed that story on the news. Thanks for making it available on the website. As a parent, I find it really hard to believe that any other parent would allow their children to be driven to school by this guy, especially after hearing him talk and watching him run red lights. Personally, I don't even trust the regular buses to take my kids to school. ( I know that there are a lot of good bus drivers out there, so I'm not knockin' them) I get them to school myself and make arrangements with people I know and trust to pick them up or keep them in after school programs until I can get them myself. To me, this guy is obviously taking advantage of gullible parents or parents who just don't give a hoot. This guy carries himself like a jerk so why would I want him taking my kids to and from school?? I'm left wondering what else goes on in his vans.

Daniel
jmax123 read my blog view my photos
Jan 16, 2008 | 4:40 PM

True Dan, there could be more to it.

My son goes to private school, but last year the school gave him his own driver from a car service because they had no other students in our town. It was a male driver wearing flip-flops, who spoke no English with pictures of Ricky Martin all over the car.
My son's only complaint was that the driver blasted the Spanish radio stations, and sometimes he needed a Motrin when he got home.
This year they have him in a regular bus with two other kids.
isleOfUrnKnee read my blog
Jan 16, 2008 | 7:26 PM

JMax123, I'd be a bit concerned if I were you. A flip-flop-wearing driver who doesn't speak English and who has pictures of Ricky Martin all over the car? That doesn't sound very professional. It doesn't sound kosher if you get my drift. I have absolutely no problem with homosexuals, but if it were my son alone in a car with that man, I'd be asking for trouble.
jmax123 read my blog view my photos
Jan 16, 2008 | 7:45 PM

Yeah, I was a little concerned and asked my son questions a lot, but my son assured me that the driver was okay, just the music was loud, so I didn't want to complain and be responsible if the guy lost his job.
NJMedic read my blog
Jan 16, 2008 | 9:58 PM

Anthony;

Please check your facts. In New Jersey, there are many different types of vehicles which transport students to and from school. Including the traditional yellow school buses, there are vans, station wagons and regular cars. All marked "School vehicles"
BronxGirl1 read my blog view my photos
Jan 17, 2008 | 9:03 AM

We need more tips such as this one and concerned individuals to right the wrongs that go on daily. Thanks John for the story.
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Jan 17, 2008 | 1:36 PM

PT BARNUM said there is a fool born every minute.
When you do something foolish and unthinking, and it only affects you, so be it.

As a parent - that is so different. Jmax said the magic words, "I asked my son ...". I bet she often talks to her children about many things ... and they BOTH learn and grow.

My friend's son complained about the bus driver. He listened and chose to follow the bus to see exactly how the driver drove. The boy was right - the driver is now working somewhere else for this father followed through with his complaint. The school refused to do anything, he went to the PTO and PTA. He did not find it an "inconvenience" to take this time out for his son's safety.
jmax123 read my blog view my photos
Jan 18, 2008 | 11:20 AM

So true AngelRuby!!!

My son is only 16, but he knows I am open to learning from him every day. I teach him, and he teaches me too. It is extremely valuable to building a child's self esteem to let him know that his views are fully considered and matter a lot. Knowing this is what makes him want to learn more, instead of feeling that school is a horrible task that has to be done.
He is a very quick-witted teenager. He keeps his teachers and other authority figures on their toes with sharp questions and answers that go right for the jugular. I see fear in the teachers eyes when he speaks to them. LOL!
ANGELRUBY read my blog view my photos
Jan 18, 2008 | 1:01 PM

Gee, that sounds like someone born either the last half of Jan or the 1st of Feb. - an Aquarian.
Page 1 of 1


Write your comment below:




John_Deutzman

John Deutzman, a New York native, has been working as a reporter at Fox 5 News since September of 2001. John has won 12 career Emmys and has received 28 Emmy nominations. He's known for his aggressive and at times humorous style when catching bad guys and exposing scams for the Fox 5 Investigative Unit. John's stories have resulted in arrests, businesses being shut down and dozens victims getting their money back from scam artists. Before moving back to New York, John spent 11 years in Miami, first as a sports reporter but when hurricane Andrew struck, John was thrown into news reporting and evenutally made the full time switch to news. John also had stints in Binghamton,New York and Springfield,Massachusetts
. A native of Smithtown,Long Island, John is an 11th-generation Long Islander. He describes himself as a 50/50 mix of his two grandfathers. One grandfather was a journalist who owned the town paper, the "Smithtown Messenger" and the other was one of the first cops in town who had a reputation for being tough and crazy but fair.

Member Since: 6/1/2006