BUTLER TWP — A Butler School District bus driver pulled a dangerous maneuver and violated protocol Tuesday afternoon. He won't be transporting Butler students anymore.

The unnamed driver, an employee of Valley Lines, has been blacklisted by the district after he suddenly applied the brakes — a maneuver commonly called “brake-checking” — and caused some of the 45 to 50 middle-schoolers on the bus to fly out of their seats, Superintendent Brian White said Thursday.

The incident happened in downtown Butler as Bus 54 was taking middle school students home at the end of the school day. White said an investigation by school officials determined that the driver had tried verbal commands to quiet his passengers, some of whom were reportedly shouting and swearing at each other.

“There are protocols for discipline problems, and the driver did not follow them,” White said. “He should have pulled over and called administration, and a principal would have driven out to meet the bus. That didn't happen.”

Instead, the driver “abruptly stopped,” after turning off Main Street, White said, “with enough force that if a kid was sitting improperly, they could have been injured. And there probably were some kids who were out of control.”

The district's investigation included review of on-board video. The Butler Eagle requested a copy of the video; White declined the request, saying it would violate students' right to privacy.

The school district's contract with Valley Lines gives the district a veto over who drives the district's children, “and those decisions are vested in the superintendent,” district solicitor Tom King wrote Thursday in an email. “Dr. White has been very proactive on bus safety and ensuring that we have responsible drivers.”

Students on Bus 54 were sent home with a letter Wednesday night. Part of the letter reads:

“The investigation revealed that the bus driver acted in a manner that is not in accordance with the standards held by the Butler Area School District. As a result, the district has requested that Valley Lines remove the driver from all Butler Area School District transportation routes, effective immediately.” The letter is signed by Brian Slamecka, assistant superintendent.

William Clepper, owner of Valley Lines, did not return a telephone message Thursday seeking more information about the driver or his status as a Valley Lines employee.