On April 15th, 2021, an incident involving an Ohio school bus driver, Jackie Miller, and a group of students from Amherst, Ohio went viral after a video of her reaction was posted online. The video shows Miller screaming at the students after they allegedly sprayed perfume on her bus, in an attempt to cause her to have an asthma attack.
The incident began when Miller noticed a foul smell on the bus and asked which student had sprayed perfume. The students denied the accusation and Miller continued to insist that she could smell it. Miller then began to yell at the students, telling them to “shut their mouth” and threatening to “kick some serious a**.” Miller then declared that she was done with the situation and resigned on the spot.
The video quickly went viral, garnering millions of views and sparking a public outcry in support of Miller. A GoFundMe page was quickly created to support her, and a local store began selling t-shirts with her infamous declaration printed on them, with proceeds going to school bus driver associations.
In an interview with 3News, Miller expressed her regret for the incident but also asserted that her behavior was justified. She explained that the same group of students had intentionally sprayed perfume on the bus a month prior, causing her to have a severe asthma attack. She stated that she had finally had enough of their continued bad behavior.
The Amherst Schools Superintendent also commented on the incident and said that the students involved had been disciplined accordingly. Despite the severity of the incident, many people have continued to support Miller, with some even calling her an unlikely hero.
Overall, the incident has sparked conversations about how school bus drivers are often disrespected by students and the need for better discipline in schools. It has also shone a light on the importance of taking mental health seriously and the need for better support for bus drivers.
