The father of a Slippery Rock Area School District student has filed a lawsuit claiming a bus driver failed to report older students repeatedly abusing and verbally harassing his 5-year-old son in 2022.

The single-count suit filed by Davaughn Irvin claims negligence, gross negligence, carelessness and recklessness against STA of Pennsylvania, Inc., of New Jersey, and seeks a jury trial and unspecified damages.

From August through October 2022, the 5-year-old kindergarten student rode the bus to Moraine Elementary School and sat in the front near the driver with other younger students, according to the suit.

During a five-week period, two older students came to the front of the bus, grabbed, kicked and punched the 5-year-old and verbally harassed him, including the use of racial slurs, the suit claims.

According to court documents, other students who witnessed the incidents reported them to the bus driver, who didn’t report the incidents to school administration in a timely manner or take action to protect the boy.

On Oct. 31, 2022, the district superintendent contacted Irvin and told him his son had been inappropriately touched by two older boys on the bus and apologized for not addressing the situation sooner, according to the suit. The superintendent also told him that children reported the abuse to the driver who did not notify the school.

The bus company did not return a message seeking comment. Superintendent Alfonso Angelucci declined to comment.