By Alex Brooks
At the Hoosick Falls School Board meeting on February 12, Board President Greg Laurin read a short statement about the resolution of the case of District Bus Driver Leo Surdam, who was suspended after an incident on his bus December 8 in which he confronted two students over the way they were behaving towards a third, younger student on the bus. [private]Many in the community supported Mr. Surdam’s actions because they said he was intervening to stop bullying, but the details of the incident could not be discussed in public because it is a personnel matter. The District hired Albany attorney Craig Crist to hold a hearing to determine how the District should respond to the incident. That hearing has been completed and the Board President’s statement describes the outcome. After reading the statement, Laurin said he would not comment further.
The statement said, “As the public is well aware, the District took certain actions in connection with an incident involving Mr Surdam on December 8, 2014. In connection therewith, the District has determined that Mr. Surdam will sustain a 60 day unpaid suspension ending on February 16. In addition, Mr Surdam has submitted a letter of apology in connection with the December 8 incident. This matter has been resolved in an efficient manner in the best interests of the District.”
Mr. Surdam’s letter, addressed to the Board of Education, said this: “Please accept my apology for the events that occurred on December 8, 2014 involving two elementary school students. On that day, I grabbed two students by the shirt collar, which I should not have done and which violated the school district’s transportation policy. I take my job and transporting the District’s students very seriously. This type of conduct should not occur in the future.”
Mr. Surdam will resume his bus driving duties when school resumes Tuesday after the winter break. Superintendent Ken Facin said he will be re-trained in District policies. Laurin concluded by saying, “The matter is closed.”[/private]