SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. – A local student left behind at the bus stop for forgetting his mask.
Like any other school day, Mohana Pescatore dropped her kids off at the bus stop before going to work.
“It was last Monday,” Pescatore said. “I had taken my children to the bus stop and the bus was within minutes behind me. I placed them at the bus stop and I drove to work.”
Moments after she got to work, Pescatore said she received a call from her 9-year-old son, Mason. Telling her that his 7-year-old brother, Carter, couldn’t get on the bus. Pescatore said her other son, Mason, had already gotten on the bus.
“When Carter went to get on the bus, [the bus driver] said no you can’t get on the bus without a mask,” said Mohana. “She told them that Carter had to get off the bus. Mason was not going to leave his brother there so he got off the bus also and walked him back home.”
Pescatore said she rushed back home to pick up her sons, bringing them back to school.
“I was infuriated,” Pescatore said. “I really honestly feel an adult should’ve called me. That call should’ve come from the school or the call should’ve come from that bus driver.”
Pescatore said she usually lets her kids walk to the bus stop at Buckingham Drive and Trinity Street, which is just a few houses down from where they live. But that day, she dropped her sons at the Autumn Harvey Way and Sioux Drive stop.
The Gateway Unified School District said it’s part of their policy to give students a mask in case they forget one.
The district said the situation has been investigated and appropriate actions have been taken to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.
Pescatore said this is the first time one of her kids forgot their mask.
“I get three kids up in the morning and this is the first time they’ve forgotten their masks,” Pescatore said.