By Aaron Miller
A Father from Louisville Kentucky has apologised after getting on a school bus to threaten a girl who was bullying his daughter
Delvantae King attempted to justify his behaviour by stating that he tried to go through the proper channels after becoming concerned about his child’s safety.
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The father said: ”I wanted to clear up everything that was said and apologize to everybody that I offended, all the kids and parents,” Delvantae King said. “I want to apologize to JCPS. I want to apologize to the school bus driver also, because at the end of the day, I did act out of character.”
King contacted WAVE News Tuesday afternoon, looking to provide context as to why he went on the bus and yelled at the people on it.
He said his 9-year-old daughter has been a victim of bullying for several months, beginning in the spring of 2022. He said she’s been verbally teased, had things thrown at her and been physically attacked.
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“I let my emotions and my frustration and anger get the best of me,” he said. “The only reason any of this transpired is due to bullying. And people don’t talk to their kids about bullying. And when you done reached out and keep trying and trying and trying to mediate something, and nobody’s doing nothing, what else are you left to do?”
King said he brought up issues up to his daughter’s school, Carter Elementary, and was told the matter would be addressed, but no progress was made. He said he also attempted to resolve the situation with the bully’s parents, but that hasn’t worked either.
After getting nowhere, and seeing his nine-year-old come home with a bruise on her head, he decided to take matters into his own hands and stepped onto his daughter’s school bus to make his feelings clear to the alleged bullies.
In footage shared online, King can be seen standing at the front of the bus and berating the children sat at the back, some of whom can be heard crying.
At first, the aggrieved father appears to take aim at a young girl whom he accuses of hitting his daughter, warning the child not to touch her again.
He then turns his attention to the rest of the kids, telling them that he will ‘flip the bus’ if anyone goes near his kid.
King says: “That goes for every little motherf***er on here. I don’t give a f***. Touch my daughter again, and I’m going to flip this whole bus.”
King has now come out and apologised for his actions, saying he didn’t know what else to do after getting nowhere with either the school or the parents of the alleged bullies.
He told Wave 3: “I wanted to clear up everything that was said and apologise to everybody that I offended, all the kids and parents.
“I want to apologize to JCPS. I want to apologize to the school bus driver also, because at the end of the day, I did act out of character.”
Adding: “I shouldn’t have did that. I shouldn’t have did that, but for my child, if that’s the length I’ve got to go… I don’t physically want to harm nobody. I’m not here to do that.
“But verbally, vocally, I’m going to say what’s got to be said so you understand to leave my child alone.”
Following the incident, Carter Elementary’s Principal Jamie Wyman sent out a letter to the parents, apologising for the outburst.
It read: “While at a bus stop, an adult and a girl boarded Bus #2047 threatening the students on the bus.
“The bus driver ushered the two non-Carter Elementary people off the bus but they got in a vehicle and followed the bus.
“Students reported seeing the occupants of the vehicle display a gun while following Bus #2047.
“Police and JCPS Security were notified and the bus driver was told to return to our school and not make any more stops. We had students wait on the bus until LMPD and JCPS Security arrived. They are investigating this incident.”
However, King has denied that he followed the bus and that he had a weapon with him at the time.
He said: “I don’t have guns, I don’t follow school buses. I don’t wave guns at kids, at children. That is false. That is false.
“They’re down-tearing my character, making me seem like a monster that I’m not. I’m just a father that was worried about my child.”
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