BVA warns parents to stay off school buses

The district issued a letter after an incident took place Thursday at Marion Elementary School.

Belle Vernon Area School District is warning parents about the legal consequences of stepping onto a school bus without authorization following an incident Thursday morning involving Bus 16 at Marion Elementary School.

In a letter sent home to families, school leaders said a parent boarded the bus during morning arrival, spoke with the driver and made comments directed toward students.

District officials stressed that the incident not only raised safety concerns, it violates Pennsylvania law.

“The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority,” Principal Dr. Eric Knorr and Assistant Principal Brendon Green wrote in a letter to district parents and guardians. “This is an opportunity to remind all of our families that in Pennsylvania, a parent cannot board a school bus without prior authorization from the school or bus driver.”

The statute at issue is Section 5517 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, titled Unauthorized School Bus Entry.

It defines the offense as entering a school bus without prior authorization from the driver or a school official.

The law applies in two ways:

• If a person boards a bus with the intent to commit a crime, disrupt or interfere with the driver.

• If a person enters or refuses to leave after being ordered off by the driver or school staff.

Violating this statute is classified as a misdemeanor of the third degree in Pennsylvania and can carry penalties including fines and potential jail time.

The law also permits school districts to post warning notices at bus entrances to remind the public that unauthorized entry is prohibited.

That provision was added in 1998 under Act 65, following concerns about school bus safety and interference with drivers responsible for transporting children.

The letter urged parents to direct all transportation questions and concerns to either the school or the district transportation office, not to bus drivers who are carrying out their duties.

It remains unclear whether the parent involved in Thursday’s incident will face legal consequences.

District officials did not release identifying information, citing student safety and privacy concerns.

Still, the incident has prompted a renewed emphasis on safety protocols across BVA schools.

“School buses are considered extensions of the school environment,” the letter noted. “Just as parents cannot enter a classroom unannounced, they cannot board a bus without permission.”