CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A 12-year-old Greenwood Alternative School student with an IEP was missing for five hours on the first day of school after a staff member put him on a public bus instead of his assigned special-transportation school bus.

The student’s mother, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her son’s privacy, told Clarksville Now her son receives special transportation as part of his IEP.

She said that around midday on Aug. 5, she noticed her son was not yet home, and she believed the buses might be running late since it was the first half-day for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. When she finished work around 2:30 p.m., she called home and was told by her other children that her son had not returned from school.

The mother said she immediately called the school to confirm what time students were sent home and told staff that her son had not made it back. “His school called me again and stated that they were informed that a teacher had given him money and put him on a public bus,” she said, adding that her son had never ridden a public bus before.

In response to questions from Clarksville Now, CMCSS spokesman Anthony Johnson said there are some students at the Alternative School who ride Clarksville Transit System buses to the school, and there is a city bus stop in front of the building.

Search leads to Clarksville Transit Center

The woman’s search for her son led her to the downtown Clarksville Transit Center at 200 Legion St., where a young boy was responding to the same name as her son but was not her son. She said she realized her son was not there and became increasingly panicked. A worker at the Transit Center sent out a communication to all the city bus drivers about the missing child, with his name and picture.

| NEWS ALERTS: To get free breaking news alerts on your phone, text the word NEWS to 43414.

She said she called police and filed a missing child report while continuing to contact the school and transportation staff. “It was relayed to me by a bus driver that was on break that he had seen (my son) get on one of the buses that was headed toward Tiny Town (Road),” she said.

The mother said the principal of Greenwood Alternative and the staff member involved met her at the Transit Center, apologizing for the “miscommunication.” She said the staff member told her he had asked remaining students how they were getting home. When her son replied “the bus,” the staff member “made the assumption that (her son) meant the public bus,” gave him money and put him on the city bus.

Five hours missing on public transit

During the five hours the child was missing, the mother said he rode five different buses and waited at one stop for more than an hour in the heat. Her son told her he did not speak up sooner because he trusted the teacher put him on the right bus. After trying to inform the bus driver multiple times about the mix-up, she said he was told to “sit down and be quiet.” As a result, he just continued riding the bus and asking people how he could get home.

While wandering the streets of Clarksville, someone gave him water because he was “dehydrated and dizzy.” While sitting at a bus stop by a McDonald’s, one of the workers gave him food while he waited. “I’m super thankful for those two people that kept an eye on my baby,” the mother said.

The mother said a neighbor’s daughter eventually found the boy walking along the side of Tylertown Road, which is near Exit 1, and brought him home. “Thankfully it was him,” the mother said. “We did find him, and he got home safe.” After reuniting with her son, she said she praised him for trying to find his way home.

Following the incident, she said her son was exhausted and hesitant to return to school. “He’s just been very on guard about everything, and he brings it up multiple times a day,” she said.

She said the incident caused significant stress for her and her family. “This shouldn’t be taken lightly,” she said. “Those five hours of my kid missing were horrible. It’s a terrible feeling to not know where your child is.”

CMCSS: School bus use uncommon at Alternative School

When reached by Clarksville Now for comment, CMCSS spokesperson Anthony Johnson said: “In general, for students remanded to the Alternative School, parents/guardians are responsible for transportation to and from school,” Johnson said. “However, if a student’s IEP includes transportation as a related service, special transportation is provided, but this is not universal or common at the Alternative School.”

He said Alternative School students often use CTS buses, and the school is able to provide bus passes on a limited basis through community partnerships if a family is unable to provide transportation.

“Due to federal and state privacy laws, I am unable to confirm or discuss any information related to the student,” Johnson said. “I will follow up with Alternative School to ensure any potential concerns have been resolved.”

| BREAKING NEWS PUSH ALERTS: Sign up for our free Clarksville Now app