A Pennsylvania school bus driver who was fired after posting a handwritten sign banning students from speaking Spanish on her bus has spoken out, insisting she was not being racist but attempting to prevent bullying.
Diane Crawford, a 66-year-old driver with 30 years of experience, posted the sign reading: “Out of respect to English only students there will be NO speaking Spanish on this bus.”
In an emotional interview with Local 21 News, Crawford wiped away tears as she defended her actions: “I didn’t mean to be racially insensitive or anything like that. Maybe I should have worded it differently. Maybe it should have said, ‘No bullying in any language,’ but I didn’t mean it to be anything but to correct” a specific student.
She claimed the sign targeted one bilingual student she suspected of bullying others in Spanish, saying words she didn’t fully understand, including “Gordo” (which means “fat” in Spanish). Crawford believed it might have been directed at her or other students: “I didn’t know if he was bullying somebody, telling them to do something that they shouldn’t do.”
Crawford, who owned her bus and was subcontracted through Rohrer Bus company to the Juniata County School District, was terminated the same night she posted the sign. “I think I just instantly went into shock,” she said. The firing ended her three-decade career, leaving her reliant on Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits. She also started taking antidepressants due to the stress.
The Juniata County School District and Rohrer Bus issued a joint statement: “While initial communications referenced a suspension pending investigation, the matter progressed quickly once the written statement was received, and a final decision was made without delay. Juniata County School District and Rohrer Bus stand by the decision made in this matter and remain committed to providing a safe and inclusive transportation environment for all students.”
Crawford admitted to writing the note during the investigation, which led to the swift termination. She maintains the intent was to promote respect and stop potential bullying, not to discriminate.
This incident has sparked wider discussion, with some reports mentioning a DOJ investigation into the firing, framing it in debates over civil rights and inclusivity policies.
