Dad upset after photo reveals dangerous overcrowding on daughter's school bus

By Kim Quintero

    GILBERT, AZ (KPHO/KTVK) -- A Gilbert dad wants answers after a photograph from his daughter showed extreme overcrowding on her school bus.

"I didn't really believe it," Michael Matkin. said. "You expect once they enter the bus to the time they come home that they're kept safe."

The image that stunned Matkin was texted by his 14-year-old Tuesday afternoon. It shows kids on a bus, sitting in every seat, in every aisle, spilling over onto the floor, stacked all the way to the back and clearly uncomfortable.

"I can't imagine that's a very good feeling to get on the bus and see that you're going to have to sit on the floor instead of with your friend or on a seat," Matkin said.

This is the kind of ride Matkin says his Campo Verde High School freshman has put up with since the year started.

“What happens if there's an accident? It's probably already hard to get kids off in an orderly manner on a bus," he said. "If there's (sic) kids sitting in the aisles it's even worse. What if there's a medical emergency? How's the bus driver going to get back to the kids if it's happening in the back of the bus? How are kids getting off the bus? Are kids having to exit to let other kids off or are kids climbing over other kids which could cause injury?”

A representative for the Gilbert Public Schools District declined to respond on camera but instead issued a statement.

"Gilbert Public Schools was recently made aware of an overcrowding issue on one of our buses for Campo Verde High School on Wednesday 09/05/2018. The district takes this issue very seriously and the safety of our students is our top priority. The issue is being investigated and action will be taken to ensure this does not happen in the future."

Matkin says he doesn't believe this is an isolated incident; he's concerned this is happening at other schools.

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