My name is Michael Kinnaly, otherwise known as “Mr. K.” I have worked as a school bus driver for Arlington (VA) Public Schools since November of 2022, primarily serving on the same route every day for the entire duration up until March of 2024. (Although the route was altered before the beginning of the school year, replacing my middle school and high school runs with another elementary school run in addition to the one elementary school I retained as a part of my route from the 2022-23 school year.)

During the course of these 16 months (including the summer 2023 school session), I have served the transportation needs of APS students at 3 different high schools, 3 different elementary schools, and 1 middle school. I’ve prided myself on achieving a 100% safety record, as every single APS student I’ve ever transported reached their destination safely whether that be at school or at home. I was a reliable worker and a stable presence in the lives of many of these students, making every effort to be in attendance on a daily basis unless I was legitimately ill or (in very rare cases) mentally fatigued/exhausted. At the same time, I strived to present myself as somebody that all students could count on to be kind, cordial, and trustworthy. As somebody who was always committed to their safety and well-being at all times, and put a great deal of heart and dedication into my role as their bus driver.

Apparently, however, not everybody thought of me that way.

Following is an excerpt from a social media post I published on April 8th…

Le sigh. Hey folks… (LONG!) rant here. These past two and a half weeks have been a nightmare. I’ve had my name dragged through the mud, persecuted, interrogated, villianized, and basically kicked all around… all because I expect basic courtesy, kindness, and respect from my student riders in the short time it takes to get to and from school while I also like to interject some light hearted humor from time to time. All this while I show up at work every day and for three months I’ve been doing double duty… simultaneously performing the job duties of both driver and attendant.

And so naturally I’m human and as such my emotions get the better of me when I’m under extreme pressure. I have one or two bad days (which really weren’t that terrible… I’ve certainly done worse in the past!) and then I am…

1. Taken off my route temporarily, then…

2. Kicked off my route permanently, then…

3. Reassigned to a new route, then finally…

4. Had the new route rescinded and placed on leave because… someone who doesn’t even know me has been secretly keeping a 7 month long file on me documenting every little thing (all of which was acquired second hand) I’ve said and done “from the beginning of the school year” and then dumped the entire file on to my manager after I’d already been kicked off my beloved route which I’ve had since I first began at APS.

Being witch hunted all because I asked to be treated right.

It’s as if all the fun and joy, the smiles and the laughter… was all just a fantasy.

I’ll be the first to admit that many times, I’m not an easy person to work with. I give a lot of myself and get frustrated sometimes when that energy is not reciprocated. But I never imagined that anyone who didn’t even know me could question my heart and dedication, and paint me as a villain in their story… and then manage to convince a large number of people (many of whom DO know me!) to believe it!

I never hold grudges against any of my student riders (and very seldom with anyone else for that matter!). When a mistake is made… I deal with it, give correction if necessary, forgive, and move on.

I’ve dried tears with just a few encouraging words.

I’ve made myself look silly wearing crazy hats and doing goofy dances for their entertainment… even though I’m typically rather quiet and reserved by nature.

I’ve been known to send notes home in instances of a student being out sick for multiple days, with well wishes for recovering. I’ve celebrated birthdays and given out the occasional freebies.

I’ve been dubbed “best bus driver ever!” by multiple students at both the elementary and middle school level (both in writing AND verbally!)… and received daily “thank you’s” from high schoolers on both my regular route as well as other high school runs I’ve occasionally covered. Daily I’m greeted with a cheerful group chorus of “Good Morning, Mr. K.!” from the elementary crew I’ve known since I first started… and then an even way more enthusiastic (and LOUD!) “Good Afternoon, Mr. K.!!!” at the end of the day.

I care about all my students, from pre-K to 12th grade and anywhere in between… past or present, on or off duty. When I crossed paths with a couple of my student riders over the summer at the Arlington County Fair, I extended the same courtesy and cordiality that I would have if they were sitting behind me in one of those 13 rows of the big blue seats.

At this point, I’m not so much fighting to save my job (as I can always get another one, although it would be great if I could stay here) but more than that, I’m fighting to clear my name and reputation. Because if I can’t clear my name and restore my reputation, then of what value would it be for me to come back?

I’m even willing to entertain the notion that perhaps there’s a chance I might not even be cut out for the role of bus driver, and would even be willing to open myself up to criticism with regards to my job performance… provided it does not attack my character. Everybody who knows me well, and even many who may only know me a little… can never question my heart or dedication. That’s a statement I firmly believe.

I know I have supporters out there. No pressure, but if you can honestly vouch for the heart and dedication I put into my role as a bus driver… would you consider signing please? Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Michael Kinnaly (“Mr. K.”)