Bethlehem School District bus aide rehired amid complaints

Posted at: 07/10/2012 11:04 PM | Updated at: 07/11/2012 10:55 PM
By: Dan Bazile

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BETHLEHEM -- Matthew Bloom, 11, rides his bike around his Selkirk neighborhood and quietly plays with his friends. His mother said the young boy, who's developmentally disabled, wasn't always this calm and that had a lot to do with a school bus aide.

"He was much better. He's gone to school everyday. Happily got on the bus since the day she stopped being on the bus," Amie Bloom said.

The Bethlehem Central School District terminated the aide back in March. This, after Bloom complained to school leaders she had threatened Matthew. She said the incident happened in February one morning when her son was having a hard time getting on the bus. He was in the family garage letting out his anger.

"The bus aide got off the bus, went over to him and said, If you were my son, I would beat you to death and I don't care if I went to jail," Bloom said.

Bloom froze. She didn't say or do anything to the aide at the time. And that's one of her biggest regrets. She was happy when the aide, Stephanie Corbett was finally let go.

"I figured mission accomplished, fine he was safe. That's all I cared about," Bloom stated.

However, while scanning the school board meeting agenda for Tuesday night, Corbett's name came up among those to be approved for supporting staff. She was rehired. School Superintendent Dr. Thomas Douglas said he could not discuss personnel matters and that due process took place in this situation to the satisfaction of the district. None of it is good enough for bloom.

"And they did say today that basically she's apologetic. She'd like to write me a letter of apology," Bloom told Newschannel 13. "I don't need a letter. I need her not to work with kids with special needs."

Corbett did not return our calls for comment.