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Boy with autism driven home by Hardin County deputy after incident on school bus

A Silsbee father said his child was supposed to have an adult aide sitting with him on the bus

SILSBEE, Texas — A Hardin County father is asking questions after he says his 4-year-old son was driven home on Friday by a sheriff's deputy. 

Chris Bartlett said his son has autism, and was removed from the school bus after what the Silsbee school is calling an 'incident.' 

"What they are calling incidents is where my child gets excited and he will flail his arms," said Bartlett.

Bartlett showed video from when his son was dropped off to 12News. 

It wasn't a sight he was happy to see.

"My child being autistic is afforded certain rights and transportation is one of those," said Bartlett. 

Bartlett blames Silsbee ISD for what he calls a broken promise by staff members at Laura Reeves Elementary School. His son is enrolled in a special preschool program for children with disabilities.

"Our child was being evicted off of the special education bus, due to his behavior," Bartlett said. "I told them they needed to get my child back onto the bus." 

In order to accommodate his son's sporadic episodes, Bartlett said the district agreed to provide an adult aide for his son every time he takes the special education bus. 

Bartlett said his son had no aide and was able to hit other children with his hands, forcing staff members to restrain him and have a deputy escort him home. He said two or three children sit in each row on the bus. 

"If there had been an aide sitting next to him, not three children to one seat, then someone could have worked with him," said Bartlett. 

We spoke with a Silsbee ISD spokesperson on Monday, but he said the district couldn't comment.

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