Dist. 57 parents call for firing of transportation director

New details emerged Monday about a Mount Prospect bus driver who was arrested on charges of drunken driving after dropping off 50 students last week.

Not only did a co-worker report smelling alcohol on Betty Burden the day she was arrested, but a different co-worker reported the same thing the day before, District 57 school board president Joe Leane said at Monday's special meeting.

"This has been a districtwide failure," Leane told about 100 parents at the meeting. "Knowing what we know now, Betty Burden should never have been allowed to continue her route after our transportation coordinator boarded the bus."

The board met in closed session for about an hour before Monday's public comment period at Lincoln Middle School in Mount Prospect. The board returned to closed session after about 30 parents addressed the board. Burden, 54, of the 1400 block of North Park Drive, Mount Prospect, was charged with felony driving under the influence on March 9. The school board is expected to fire her Thursday.

That's not enough for many district parents.

On Monday, several parents said Transportation Director Vince Ramirez should be fired for allowing Burden to drive after he heard two reports about her smelling like alcohol in two days.

"(Ramirez) needed to use common sense and didn't," said Joe Moran of Mount Prospect. "He heeded to make the call. He owns that bus. His behavior is why I'm here. I'm very skeptical of his continued employment."

According to school officials, as soon as the second co-worker voiced concerns about Burden, Ramirez intercepted her bus at its first stop, got on and talked to Burden, but couldn't conclude she'd been drinking.

But he followed the bus in his own vehicle and called police at 3:45 p.m. for them to make a trained assessment. Officers responded immediately, but arrived after Burden had finished driving about 50 children home.

Police said Burden admitted drinking vodka and orange juice at lunch and failed a field sobriety test. School officials said no alcohol was found on her bus.

A breath test at the police station found she had a blood-alcohol content of .226 percent. Under zero-tolerance laws, it is illegal for school bus drivers to have any alcohol in their blood.

Burden apparently drove students home from three schools that day - not just from Lions Park. Parents said she also drove students from Lincoln and Westbrook schools. The school district's Web site stated the incident involved the route serving all three schools.

"Two different drivers in 24 hours knew," parent Nadya Northrop said. "How did Mr. Ramirez sleep at night? There are public service announcements that say you should take the keys away from someone you even think might be drunk. That didn't happen. My trust has been shaken."

Russell Cecala agreed with Northrop.

"Vince Ramirez allowed this to happen," Cecala said. "He should be the one to throw himself on the sword to preserve the safety of our kids."

Ellen Loeb was the lone parent sticking up for Ramirez.

"I would hate to see Vince Ramirez hung out to dry as an easy sacrifice," said Loeb, who has known the transportation director for years.

In response to Burden's arrest, District 57 is launching an investigation into the incident and Ramirez, who will receive special training on determining "reasonable suspicion" this week, Superintendent Elaine Aumiller said.

The investigation will study reporting concerns in a timely manner and outsourcing the district's busing.

District 57 also will launch a Web site for parents to report suspicious behavior of school employees - including bus drivers, Aumiller said.

"I have received calls from parents who said they had seen erratic driving from this driver, but didn't report it because they didn't want to ID themselves," she said.

Meeting: Two coworkers reported driver smelled like alcohol before arrest