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Beaumont mom says son with disabilities discriminated against, almost kicked off city bus

A Beaumont mother said her son was excitedly talking during the bus ride, which led to her almost getting kicked off the bus.

BEAUMONT, Texas — A Beaumont mom says her disabled son was discriminated against when a city bus driver threatened to kick them off the bus last week.

Sheketa Haynes, of Beaumont, says she and 4-year-old son, Glenndale Green Jr., who she says, has developmental delays, were riding a Beaumont City bus along with her grandson last Tuesday when the incident happened.

Green, she says , loves riding the bus and as usual got excited when the bus took off from a bus stop along Magnolia Street.

"When the bus takes off, he gets excited, he loves buses. The first thing he says is mommy, mommy, bus, bus," Haynes said.

After a few more outbursts of excitement, the driver pulled over and threatened to kick her and the two kids off of the bus Haynes told 12News.

"I said 'ma'am this is a kid with developmental delays, he's just an innocent kid talking on the bus.' I said 'I've heard older people on bus talking about weather that's louder than that,'" Haynes said.

The bus driver had asked Haynes to quiet her kids Chris Boone, Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Beaumont told 12News.

The driver’s request then led to a heated exchange between Haynes and the driver with Haynes getting in the driver’s face according to Boone.

The driver then responded by pulling over and asking them to get off of the bus he said.

"I was just letting the driver know to pick on someone your own size, you don't pick on a kid," Haynes said of the incident.

Haynes said afterwards she went to the city to complain about the way the situation was handled, and at one point was even told to consider taking a different route.

"Why should I have to go to another bus stop when there's a bus stop right here by my home?" Haynes said.

The city is continuing to investigate the incident.

12News has since learned there's surveillance video of the incident, and is working to obtain it.

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