Ohio driver resigns after hot-bus allegation

LEBANON, Ohio (AP) — A southwest Ohio school bus driver has resigned after being accused of making elementary-age students sit with the windows up in hot weather as a punishment.

Lebanon Schools officials had placed driver Benjamin Spaulding on administrative leave after hearing reports of the Monday afternoon incident. They say the seven-year driver resigned just before a scheduled disciplinary hearing Wednesday.

The Hamilton-Middletown Journal-News reports that police are investigating complaints that Spaulding pulled the bus over Monday because students were unruly. He allegedly ordered them to close windows, then left them inside for a yet-undetermined time before returning to finish his route. Temperatures outside ranged to 90 Monday afternoon.

Police say they don’t know of any harm to any students.