A York region school bus driver who was caught driving in what appears to be a schoolgirl’s uniform while displaying a “Lolita’s Line” window sign in their bus will no longer be transporting students to the school.
Earlier this month, a bus driver was caught on video at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Elementary School in Vaughan, ON wearing what appeared to be a school girl’s uniform. Parents were also seen confronting the driver about their outfit and asking them about a “Lolita’s Line” sign on the front window.
“Lolita’s Line” is believed to be a reference to a 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov named Lolita, which follows the story of 37-year-old professor Humbert Humbert who develops an obsession for a 12-year-old girl and eventually kidnaps and sexually abuses her.
On Wednesday, a York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) spokesperson told Now Toronto that the driver was employed by a third-party company, which was then informed about the incident. Since then, the driver has been removed from the St. Michael school route and other YCDSB schools.
“The company quickly addressed this situation with its employee and the driver will no longer provide busing to and from the school. The company has assured the YCDSB that this would not be an issue at any YCDSB school going forward,” the spokesperson said in an email statement.
The board also said that it has already followed up with “all of its child protection procedures” since learning about the incident.
The board explained that bus drivers fall under individuals who work with vulnerable persons, and therefore are required to pass a Vulnerable Sector Check with a local police department before they are allowed to work in Ontario.
Meanwhile, online, residents are still shocked over the situation, saying that the driver’s behaviour was inappropriate on school grounds.
“It’s not quite fetishwear (it’s more akin to goth attire) but it is extremely unprofessional for a school bus driver to identify themselves with a subculture that romanticizes the sexual victimization of children,” one Reddit user said.
“There is a time and a place for everything. This was neither,” another user added.
“I’m glad the company moved quickly and this person is already gone, but damn is that gross. Them being in fetish-wear makes it so much more inappropriate, too,” a different person chimed in.
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