Rather than calling for a bus driver to be fired, the Edmonton Catholic School Board is now apologizing after reviewing video that shows the kids in question assaulting and threatening him.

"In light of the second video showing an assault on the driver, we realize we should not have requested the driver's termination and have apologized to his employer, Cunningham Transportation Services, and will be apologizing to the driver as soon as we can reach him," read a statement issued by the Edmonton Catholic School District (ECSD) released Tuesday.

Prior to the apology, Cunningham Transportation Ltd. operations manager Laura Doroshenko, said the company stands behind the actions of the driver, who had installed a video surveillance camera on the bus for safety reasons.

"When the initial video came out and the public reacted to it, he looked like a tyrant, throwing this kid off the bus. But afterwards, when you actually saw the driver's video, you realize there was a different side to the story," said Doroshenko, who said the driver -- a retired carpenter who has driven with the company since 2010 -- was under great stress from the incident and felt "vilified."

Earlier in the day on May 25, a parent of a student had argued with the driver over bringing the child's hockey bag on the bus, something that is strictly against school board policy as large unsecured loads, such as hockey bags, skateboards or musical instruments, can become dangerous projectiles in a collision.

The driver reluctantly relented, hoping to avoid more arguing. "That afternoon, he ends up getting hit in the head with that hockey bag he allowed on in the morning," said Doroshenko.

More video footage shows another child repeatedly kicking another student sitting across the aisle.

After the driver was hit in the face with the hockey bag, nearly losing his glasses, the second child is seen on video hitting a bus seat and arguing with the bus driver, where the driver says the boy uttered threats of physical violence. The driver later stopped and dropped that child off less than half a kilometre from his scheduled stop, breaking school board policy. "The child had threatened him, had already repeatedly hit another child across the aisle from him, and threatened the driver," said Doroshenko.

"The driver just felt that's enough."

ECSD said "the District does not in any way condone the behaviour of the two students involved in the separate incidents on the bus and the principals for both students were made aware of the situation so that they could take measures."

Both students have been suspended and are returning to school -- and the bus -- on Wednesday.

While school officials said they would apologize directly to the bus driver himself, Doroshenko said the board did not make it clear whether the driver would be allowed to drive routes for the district again, and said the students and their parents should issue an apology of their own. The driver was not responding from calls from officials on Tuesday.

"I would like to see them apologize," said Doroshenko. "That would be the right thing to do."

Doroshenko added that the company has been "inundated" with emails and phone calls from across the country from people wishing to donate money to the bus driver, either to help cover potential legal fees or to send him on a much needed vacation. A fund has yet to be established.

@ClaireTheobald

claire.theobald@sunmedia.ca

Recent Edmonton ﻿Catholic Schools flip-flops:

May 25 -- ﻿The district says a driver caught on video removing a student from a school bus will no longer drive Edmonton Catholic routes and the district recommends he be fired. Two 13-year-old students who were harassing him -- one in Grade 7 and one in Grade 8 -- were suspended on May 27 and will return on Wednesday.

June 2 -- The Catholic School District apologizes to the bus driver's company is plans to apologize to the driver in question once they can reach him. The change of heart came after review of surveillance footage from a camera the driver had installed himself. It shows the Grade 8 student hitting the driver in the head with a hockey bag and the second student then threatening to hurt him before the driver pulls over and lets him out 10 blocks from his intended stop.

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May 14 -- ﻿The head of Edmonton Catholic Schools' Board of Trustees, Debbie Engel,expresses disappointed the district is being painted as a "district who doesn't care" about where a seven-year-old transgender student can go to the bathroom at school. The mother of the child filed a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission, claiming her daughter -- who was born a boy -- isn't given the option of using the girls' washroom, even though it's the gender she identifies with. One of the board's trustees, Patricia Grell, criticized the board's decision, posting her views on a blog.

May 19 -- ﻿The Edmonton Catholic School Board says the seven-year-old child will now be allowed to use the girls' washroom at her current school, but other transgender students will have to wait for the board to create a district-wide policy. The mom credits Patricia Grell, the lone board trustee to buck policy and speak out for the student's washroom choice, with saving the girl's life.