Chaos on elementary school bus: 'Kids everywhere ... pushing ... punching each other'

LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- Video of a chaotic scene on a moving elementary school bus has one local mom very upset.

The footage was obtained through a public disclosure request by Q13 FOX News.

Amanda Vandehey couldn’t believe it when she saw the video, which shows a chaotic scene on her children’s school bus last Wednesday.

"There were kids everywhere,” said Vandehey a Tyee Park Elementary School parent. “They were in the aisle. They were over the seats. They were pushing each other. They were punching each other."

The Lakewood mom wants to know why the bus driver would allow this potentially unsafe situation of too many kids crammed on the bus, some not in seats.

Rick Ring, with the Clover Park School District, said over the phone that the bus was overcrowded. He says a substitute driver, normally a mechanic, was behind the wheel.  An investigation is now under way and the district said that the driver will not be behind the wheel again until it’s complete.

But Vandehey doesn’t intend to let her two kids ride the bus again until the Clover Park School District can guarantee her kids are safe.

The district also commented Friday afternoon. They said that the principal of Tyee Park Elementary School has spoken with parents and kids. The Transportation Department has also addressed the issue with the employee who was driving the bus.