Juniata County bus driver fired after posting English-only sign; woman says she was trying to stop bullying
A 66-year-old bus driver, Diane Crawford, was fired in 2025 after posting an “English-only” sign on her Juniata County bus; Crawford says it targeted a bilingual student she accused of bullying others, while officials deemed the note racially insensitive.
Key takeaways
- Diane Crawford, a 66-year-old long-time subcontracted driver for Rohrer Bus, was dismissed after admitting she posted a handwritten “English-only” sign on her bus.
- Crawford’s defense: she says the sign was meant to stop a bilingual student who allegedly rallied others and used insulting Spanish-language names.
- Employer response: Rohrer Bus and the Juniata County School District say the note violated transportation provider standards and ended her contract after review.
- Aftermath: Crawford reports financial hardship; a community petition seeks her rehiring and officials arranged staff training on equity and conduct.
Background: long service, fast split
Diane Crawford says she has driven school buses in Juniata County for more than 30 years as a subcontractor for Rohrer Bus and that she purchased her bus and route in 2024. She describes herself as a driver who has long prioritized order and student safety.
After she posted a handwritten notice reading, “Out of respect to English-only students, there will be no speaking Spanish on this bus.” Crawford says she was contacted by a supervisor the following day and told her contract was terminated. She says she was not given a chance to fully explain before the contract ended. Rohrer Bus and the district, however, say they performed a joint review after Crawford admitted to posting the note and concluded it violated provider expectations.
Crawford’s explanation: discipline and safety
Crawford told reporters the sign was aimed at one bilingual student who, she says, repeatedly spoke Spanish to rally other students and had called her “Gordo” — a Spanish-language insult she felt was threatening and disrespectful. She says speaking in a language many students did not understand created a safety and discipline problem on the bus.
According to Crawford, she sought help from supervisors and requested assistance before posting the sign. She said she offered alternative wording such as “No bullying in any language,” but that the problem persisted and she felt compelled to act to protect students.
District and company response
Rohrer Bus and the Juniata County School District issued a joint statement saying staff followed standard procedures and reviewed the incident after Crawford’s written admission that she posted the note. Officials concluded the message violated expectations and codes for student transportation providers and moved to end the contract.
The district arranged a training session for transportation staff on April 17, 2025, led by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, covering employer responsibilities, professional expectations, student equity, and response protocols for incidents involving language or race.
Aftermath for Crawford: money and health
Crawford says the firing left her in serious financial trouble. She reports relying on Medicare and Medicaid, receiving SNAP benefits, and taking antidepressant medication. She is seeking about $30,000 — the cost she paid in 2024 for her bus and route — to avoid defaulting on that debt and has requested a formal admission of wrongdoing from her employer, which the district has not provided.
A petition to rehire Crawford gathered more than 1,000 signatures from local residents who describe her as a respected driver. Supporters say the firing was abrupt and unfair; others argue the note could be perceived as discriminatory and that the district must protect students from messages that single out a language or group.
Federal scrutiny claim: unverified
Some social posts and local discussions referenced a federal civil-rights investigation or named a Justice Department official. Our review of available reporting found no verified federal probe announced by the U.S. Department of Justice or other federal agencies at the time of the reporting. Reporters and officials did not confirm any federal inquiry.
A video repeating the local coverage is available as a YouTube clip; local reporting remains the primary source for the account.
Implications for Redding, California
Local leaders and families in places like Redding should consider several lessons from the Juniata County case:
- Safety on school buses: Drivers should feel supported when reporting disruptive behavior and districts should provide clear rules on managing conduct that affects student safety, including how to address language-based groupings or communications.
- Free speech and workplace rules: Districts need clear policies that balance a driver’s authority to maintain order with nondiscrimination obligations to prevent messages that single out languages or groups.
- Support for subcontractors: Small contractors who buy routes may face high financial risk from abrupt contract terminations; districts should ensure complaint and appeal procedures for subcontracted operators.
- Community divisions: Expect activism and petitions; transparent communication, timely investigations, and training can reduce tensions.
- Practical steps for families: Parents should ask about bus conduct policies, complaint handling, driver support, and whether bilingual staff or translation options are available to reduce misunderstandings.
Reporting notes and sources
This article is based on interviews and local reporting first published by Local21News and Local12. Direct quotes from Diane Crawford and statements from Rohrer Bus and the Juniata County School District appear in those reports.
Where URLs were reported beside source names or items, the source names above link to the original coverage. A video repeating the local reporting is available as the YouTube clip. Federal involvement reported on some social posts could not be verified in available local and national coverage at the time of reporting.
