‘It’s sick, man’: Five terminated Richmond bus drivers continue to challenge firings
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- More than a month after their terminations, five former Richmond Public Schools (RPS) bus drivers who call themselves “the RPS 5” are still seeking answers -- and their jobs.
The group was fired on April 25 after attending a school board meeting on April 8. That day, the five said they advocated for overtime pay alongside roughly two dozen other RPS employees, including other bus drivers.
The Virginia Employment Commission recently approved these drivers' applications for unemployment benefits after RPS declined to appeal. However, the drivers said they still have not received any payments.
“We haven't received unemployment yet, so we're still waiting on it,” said Cynthia Cole, who drove RPS buses for 29 years. “And like Kimya [another RPS 5 member] said, we got bills coming up.”
Termination letter given to one of the "RPS 5," five Richmond bus drivers who were terminated on April 8 for "obstructing operations." (Photo: 8News)
Only these five drivers were terminated following the April 8 meeting. Their termination letters cited a Virginia state code against striking, with RPS officials saying they were dismissed because they “determined together to call out."
“We don't see each other to talk about a strike," Cole said. "And another thing … we know we can't strike. How did we do a strike? I didn't. I went down to the school board after work."
An RPS email from Superintendent Jason Kamras obtained by 8News reads, in part:
“On April 8, several bus drivers suddenly ‘called out,’ indicating they would not be performing after-school activity runs. This led RPS to cancel most after-school activities, leaving thousands of students without programming.”
Email written by RPS superintendent Jason Kamras about the advocacy of the "RPS 5" bus drivers. (Email provided to 8News by Richmond Public Schools.)
“I was fired for speaking up,” said Darryl Williams, who drove RPS buses for two and a half years.
8News obtained various records connected to this incident, including internal emails about the driver call-outs, which began at 1:13 p.m. on April 8. At 2:23 p.m., the Director of Transportation told staff an “all call” for substitute drivers would be made at 2:30 p.m. — but that call never went out. After-school activities were canceled by 3:00 p.m., per these records.
“Why didn't they even put it on the radio to find out if other drivers are willing?” questioned Sonny Randolph, who drove RPS buses for 11 years.
Records also show that Superintendent Jason Kamras was notified of the issue at 2:35 p.m. -- but because all of the necessary means of communication were not on the same page until then, it was too late to make an all-call.
"Kamras agreed with us that not knowing until after 2:30 [p.m.], when an all-call would be made to the drivers by transportation, if routes for extended day could or would be covered, we needed to communicate to secondary schools to cancel activities and notify parents students would be going home early," documents read.
This timeline is something the RPS 5 said discredited RPS' initial account of the incident.
“You canceled it at 3 o'clock,” Cole said. “So how did we leave a thousand kids behind?”
The "RPS 5," five Richmond bus drivers who were terminated on April 8 for "obstructing operations." (Photo: 8News)
According to RPS records obtained by 8News, officials believe that seven drivers called out that day.
The former employees continue to question why they were the only ones fired. Williams said he isn't even assigned to after-school activity runs. Randolph and Cole both said they never told RPS they would not do their after-school routes, either.
Still, the district has not explained why these five were singled out. Specific names and schools were redacted in documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
“I’m depressed and stressed out and can’t eat, can’t sleep and [I'm] crying every day. It’s sick, man,” said Kimya Williams, who drove for RPS for 25 years.
Despite repeated requests for comment, Richmond Public Schools has declined to discuss the matter, stating it cannot comment on ongoing investigations and personnel matters.
The RPS 5 and their union have filed formal grievances for wrongful termination. Kamras responded to that, acknowledging the grievance and looping in his counsel. Since then, the drivers said that RPS has been silent, defaulting the grievance process under Virginia code.
Union representatives said RPS' silence raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the terminations.
On June 3, the RPS 5 and their union representatives will be advocating for reinstatement at the Richmond School Board meeting.
