Delegate Miller Asks Why Parents Were Not Informed About Investigation of Bus Driver

A week after parents learned that Montgomery County Public Schools bus driver was dismissed after being charged with downloading child pornography, Del. is asking why parents were not notified sooner.

Miller told Patch she has begun an investigation into what she calls "communications gaps" between police, MCPS and parents.

Police began investigating Acker in early February of 2010, according to Court charging documents. But he was not arrested until February of 2011.

He was fired from MCPS within days of his arrest, said Montgomery County spokesperson Dana Tofig. Parents were not informed of his arrest and dismissal until March 29, Miller said.

Miller's 12-year-old daughter was one of the Lakelands Park Middle School students who Acker drove for nearly two years. She said she was surprised MCPS did not notify parents when police first discoverd child pornography on Acker's computer, but instead waited nearly one month after his dismissal and after it was reported in the Washington Post.

"Kids talk," Miller said. "As soon as my daughter found out he was no longer going to be their bus driver, she told me there were rumors going around. But I just ignored it until I saw the reporting in the paper."

In addition to Lakelands, Acker drove bus routes for Quince Orchard High School, Brown Station Elementary and an extended day bus for Poolesville High School, Tofig said.

"Police have given no information that suggests the employee's conduct involved MCPS students in any way," Tofig told Patch via email.

But Miller said MCPS should have informed parents earlier.

"This guy was alone on a bus with all these children everyday and for a year he knew he was being investigated," Miller said. Her daughter, like many of her friends, was friends with Acker on Facebook, Miller said.

Miller said Acker should have been moved to another position as soon as police first discovered child pornography on his computer.

"Of course he is innocent until proven guilty," Miller said. "I'm not saying to fire him until he goes through the law system, the law can decide."

But, she said, MCPS should not have kept him in a position where he was the only adult responsible for children.

She said she is looking into when Montgomery County Police informed MCPS of the investigation and when MCPS informed schools.

"When any adult school employee has any child pornography charges, especially when they are the only adult with the children, I think they need to let parents know," Miller said.

She said she plans to propose legislation in Annapolis to ensure students are protected in the future.