Photo: TikTok & YouTube
Parents were horrified at a video of her threatening students but others feel the kids and the school are to blame.
By Megan Quinn — Written on Apr 04, 2023
An Ohio bus driver is doubling down after a viral video portrayed her in a negative light.
Jackie Miller of Amherst, Ohio had been working for the Amherst school district for two years, driving high school and junior high students to and from school during the week.
When she first started her job, she claims that she loved it because of the kids. “They were so much fun. I got to spend just a few minutes every day with them but I was lucky because I had great kids,” she told News 5 Cleveland.
However, during the last couple of years, there was a particularly unruly group of junior high students who boarded the bus each day that made Miller’s shift a nightmare. She says that they would consistently bully other students, and were often loud, disruptive, and distracting.
Eventually, enough was enough.
The Amherst bus driver was filmed yelling at students in a now-viral video.
Miller says she has implemented several rules to keep everyone on the bus safe. One of those rules forbids the use of perfume on the bus since it could trigger her asthma.
During one particular ride home from school, Miller learned that one of the out-of-control students had sprayed perfume. In what she calls her own personal “breaking point,” she pulled the bus over and yelled at the students who were making the bus ride experience torture.
In a TikTok video that has accumulated over 3 million views, one of the students on the bus films Miller as curses out the group.
“I’m sick of all of this s–t. I’m done with it,” she can be heard saying as she stands in the aisle of the parked bus. “I’m gonna start kicking some f–king serious a–!” she yells while waving a pointed finger toward one of the students.
“My foot’s gonna be so far up your goddamn a–it’s gonna dangle out of your goddamn nose. I’m done with you,” she continues.
When the students insist that they did not spray perfume, Miller grows even more frustrated, warning them that she is about to have all of the students walk home instead. “How much more do you think anybody can freaking take?” she snaps.
The video spread like wildfire across social media platforms and eventually reached the superintendent of Amherst Schools, Mike Molnar. He released a statement and letter home to parents, explaining that the school was made aware of the video. He spoke with Miller later that day.
After informing her that she would be placed on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the week, she resigned from her job, suspecting that they planned on firing her anyway.
“I was crushed. I so loved what I did. I loved it,” she said.
Miller’s rant gained national attention and was met with various responses.
Some people found her reaction inappropriate and unprofessional. “When you threatened physical violence against children, you lose all of what you were going to say,” one Amherst parent shared.
However, an overwhelming amount of people sided with Miller, understanding her frustrations and demonstrating empathy towards her. They believed that teenagers were especially disrespectful and needed to be kept in line.
“I’ve been a bus driver for over 15 years and I understand her frustration! Children are so disrespectful and we have no support from administrators,” one TikTok user commented. “As a teacher, this lady is my hero!" another user wrote.
Miller says that the behavior demonstrated in the video was out of character for her. “I’m not normally like that. I’m normally as calm as a cucumber. It just got to the point where I snapped,” she reveals.
Some students vouched for Miller, claiming that she was a great bus driver who always went out of her way to make them feel comfortable. Isabella Volpe, a freshman at Amherst High School, shares that she had only positive experiences with Miller.
“It was so nice seeing her every morning and afternoon,” she told The Chronicle. I was having a rough time once and she was concerned about me, she would say ‘You don’t have to talk to me about me but I’m here if you need somebody.’ The next day she brought me a stuffed animal. It was a little unicorn.”
Volpe added that the group of students misbehaving on the bus was a daily occurrence.
Prior to the incident, Miller had repeatedly gone to school administrators for help, but her requests were ignored.
While she “truly regrets” how she handled the situation looking back on the video, she says she does not take her behavior back, as it was the result of years-long pent-up anger toward the disrespectful teens.
Since her resignation, Miller has received an endless amount of support from people around the country. One of the individuals who is proudly standing by her side is business owner, Jacqui Adkins, who designed a T-shirt in the bus driver’s honor, with one of her slogans, “My foot’s gonna be so far up your a--it’s going to dangle from your nose,” written on the shirt.
Over 900 shirts have been sold so far, with $5 from each sale going to Miller. Additionally, a GoFundMe page has been launched to raise money for Miller’s retirement and a much-deserved vacation.
“Bus drivers, teachers, and janitors are the hardest working people and a huge influence on our children. Yet they continue to be underpaid and underappreciated,” the page reads. “Kids these days are out of control and no one is allowed to reprimand them for fear of losing their job.”
Over $47,000 has been raised so far. Miller says that she is overwhelmed with gratitude and hopes that the video encourages school administrators to get more involved in supporting bus drivers.
“If you don’t have the buses you don’t have the schools,” she points out.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.