You won't believe this. (VIDEO at link)
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/23675312/detail.htmlCARMEL, Ind. -- A family has filed suit against Carmel Clay Schools after they said a bus driver was caught on tape berating their daughter about her religious beliefs.
Edward Zimmer said bus driver Betty Campbell harassed and caused emotional distress to his middle school daughter, Rachael, in November of 2008, 6News' Renee Jameson reported.
He said the incident began during a ride home from school when his daughter told another student that she would never vote for President Barack Obama because of her anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage beliefs.
Zimmer said that led to an allegation that Rachael told other students that they would go to hell if they believed differently, something he said his daughter vehemently denies.
Zimmer said that when Campbell heard what Rachael had supposedly said, after the girl had already been dropped off, a camera on board the bus showed the driver telling the students, "If you can't believe in tolerance toward one another, you don't belong here. You belong in a parochial, church school."
Zimmer also claims that the bus driver questioned another student about whether Rachael ever said anything racist to him.
"If she says anything racial to you, I want to know about it, because I am going to eat her alive," Zimmer said Campbell can be heard saying on the tape. "You're a smart guy. Rachael is a stupid little bigot."
Zimmer said Campbell then came back to the girl's home after all of the children had been let off the bus and brought Rachael and her older sister, who were home alone at the time, onto her empty bus, berating Rachael about her opinions on gay marriage.
"Say we're a gay couple …and we go to China … and she would adopt a child. She comes back, and if she dies, that child isn't mine. You can't keep that kid," Zimmer said Campbell is heard saying on the tape. "Or I'm filthy rich and she is not, I die, she does not inherit my money. That's what this is all about."
Zimmer said that when he questioned the school about why Campbell wasn't disciplined, he was told that she was working within the scope of her employment.
"I think a bus driver should use her pedals to get kids back and forth to school, and she should make sure that discipline is held on the bus," he said. "Then if something gets out of hand, then what that bus driver should do is send them to the school and let the school deal with it, not take it upon herself to discipline any students."
The family filed suit in December of 2009.
The school district would not comment on the civil lawsuit citing pending litigation. Campbell, who is also named in the suit, said she had no comment.
