Juniata County bus driver fired after posting “English-only” sign; federal probe claim not confirmed
A 66-year-old Juniata County school bus driver, Diane Crawford, was terminated after posting an “English-only” sign. Crawford says it aimed to stop bullying by a bilingual student; district and Rohrer Bus called the note racially insensitive and ended her contract.
- What happened: Crawford posted a note stating, “Out of respect to English-only students, there will be no speaking Spanish on this bus,” and was fired the next day.
- Driver’s account: She says the sign was meant to stop a bilingual student from agitating peers and that she had asked administrators for help first.
- Federal probe claim: Local reporting through mid-2025 does not confirm any U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division probe; those claims remain unverified.
Main reporting and timeline
What happened
Diane Crawford, a 66-year-old owner/operator subcontracted to Rohrer Bus who has driven for the Juniata County School District for about 12 years, posted a note on her bus window reading, “Out of respect to English-only students, there will be no speaking Spanish on this bus.” According to reporting, she was dismissed the next day after the company and district determined the sign was racially insensitive and violated provider expectations.
Crawford’s account and context
Crawford says the sign was intended to stop a single bilingual student who, she alleges, used Spanish to taunt or agitate other students — including insults such as “Gordo.” She says she repeatedly sought help from school administrators before posting the note and that the sign was meant as a discipline and safety measure, not a racial attack. Crawford told reporters she regretted the wording and would have preferred a sign reading, “No bullying in any language.”
Firing process and timeline
Crawford says her contract was ended overnight after the sign was posted and that she was not suspended or given a hearing before termination. Rohrer Bus and the Juniata County School District say their investigation concluded after Crawford admitted she posted the note and that the conduct violated provider standards, and they maintain procedures were followed.
Aftermath for Crawford
Crawford reports financial hardship following the firing. She says she relies on Medicare, Medicaid and SNAP benefits and is taking antidepressants for stress tied to the loss of income. She is seeking $30,000 to cover a planned 2024 bus and route purchase and says losing the contract would force her into debt. A petition requesting her rehiring gathered more than 1,000 signatures.
Official response, training and equity work
Rohrer Bus and the Juniata County School District issued a joint statement saying they took the incident seriously, that provider expectations were violated, and that they are committed to training and ensuring providers follow policies to protect students. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission held provider training on April 17, 2025, focused on equity, expectations and protocols, according to local reporting.
Federal probe claim: what reporting shows
Some online accounts claimed a top federal civil rights official under the Trump administration opened a Justice Department probe into Crawford’s firing. Our review of local reporting and regional coverage through mid-2025 found no independent confirmation that the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division or an assistant attorney general announced a probe. Readers should treat claims of a federal investigation as unverified unless official federal statements or filings are published.
Implications for Los Angeles, California
This case highlights issues relevant to large, diverse districts such as Los Angeles Unified:
- Policies & training: Clear written rules and regular training for subcontracted drivers on student conduct, anti-bullying rules, and language rights are essential.
- Language, culture & safety: Policies should prevent bullying in any language while protecting students’ cultural and linguistic rights under state and federal law.
- Free speech vs. safety: Drivers need clear escalation paths for reporting misbehavior so they are not put in a position of implementing unilateral measures that may violate policy.
- Community impact: Incidents like this can amplify local political debates; districts should prepare clear communications and engage bilingual liaisons when incidents occur.
- Practical steps for families: Parents should learn complaint and reporting procedures, request documentation of incidents, and ask whether drivers have guidance on handling multilingual bullying.
Reporting notes and source links
This account draws on local reporting. Full articles and video reporting are available here:
- Local21News: “Exclusive: Juniata County bus driver fired for English-only sign, fires back”
- WKRC/Local12: “Fired school bus driver defends controversial ‘English-only’ sign”
- Video reporting of interviews
Update note
Reporting on this incident will continue as parties provide more documents or federal agencies comment. This article will be updated if official federal investigations or new statements from the district or Rohrer Bus are released.
