MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County Schools administrators are still not saying much about the bus driver arrested for having pot on a school bus over the weekend.
Marsai Catron, 29, was driving students to a basketball event Saturday when someone complained about a strong drug odor.
This comes after 42 confirmed Durham bus accidents so far this school year.
SCS Superintendent Dorsey Hopson plans to meet with Durham School Services sometime this week, then brief the public on Thursday.
Still, parents are calling on the district for answers now.
WREG went to the district’s administrative offices Tuesday, but a communications person was the only one available to speak.
“It’s going to be an opportunity to kind of lay out everything that has happened, and basically he [superintendent] wants answers,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said employees undergo background checks.
SCS policy said background checks ding if a potential hire has a history of “child abuse, severe child abuse, child sexual abuse, or child neglect,” but does not specifically mention assault.
Catron plead guilty to an aggravated assault charge in 2009.
Police have also arrested him twice for driving with a suspended license, though the charges were never prosecuted.
Several school board members declined to speak on the issue, but SCS Board Member Chris Caldwell met with WREG.
“I wouldn’t say that the lack of immediate response is a sign that we don’t care. I think it’s the driver, and in instances like this, everybody deserves due process,” Caldwell said.
He said the district wants to gather all the information necessary before commenting on any future agreements with Durham.
In an e-mail, SCS Board Member Mike Kernell said, “Since mistakes are being made, I’m sure that I and the other NEW Board Members intend to do our best to correct them.”
Durham told WREG that employees undergo random drug screenings.
A spokesperson confirmed Catron is no longer employed with Durham but would not elaborate further.
WREG stopped by Catron’s home Tuesday, but he was not there.
