PENDER COUNTY — After Port City Daily broke the news of a fired Topsail High School employee on Thursday, Pender County Schools released the dismissal letter sent to 53-year-old Melvin London.
READ MORE: Topsail High coach fired after refusing to drive certain bus, parents start petition to reinstate
London was released from his duties as both a basketball coach and bus driver after refusing to drive bus 251 that he said had mechanical issues for years. According to the letter, signed by Superintendent Brad Breedlove, the employee’s disregard for his assigned duties means he “cannot carry out the essential functions” required of the job.
Breedlove listed two policies — 7440 Assignments/Reassignments/Transfers and 7300 Staff Responsibilities — London breached.
In essence, 7440 gives the superintendent the right to assign and transfer employees as deemed appropriate. And while it also notes an employee’s request would be considered, it won’t be at the behest of school or district needs.
7300 states:
“Each employee is directly responsible to the designated supervisor, and additional responsibilities may be assigned to each employee by the designated supervisor. The failure to follow the directives of a supervisor is grounds for dismissal.”
According to London, he told the superintendent on a call Wednesday: “‘Sir, I’m not not driving [bus] 251.’ He said, ‘Well, Mr. London, with that said, I’m going to have to terminate you, all duties of Pender County Schools, as well as coaching.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, wow. OK.’”
The directive to drive the bus came down from Britton Overton, the transportation director, according to the letter.
“During our conversation I explained that the buses are switched out from route to route as part of the fleet management in order to manage the mileage of each bus and that is why bus 251 was moved to this route,” Breedlove wrote. “During the conversation you also stated to me ‘as a new driver I had to drive the older buses and now I should not have to.’ You wanted bus #286 back.”
Both conversations with the superiors ended in London refusing to drive the bus, considered insubordination. Breedlove said London was hired as a bus driver, which personnel records show he made $17.78 an hour with a $2,500 coaching supplement.
London has been working for the district for more than a decade. His termination comes as Pender County Schools continues facing a bus driver shortage, 10 or 11 vacancies across the system, Breedlove told WECT — four or five people are currently slated to fill the slots. Yet, some families have complained of lone wait times their children endure, up to two hours, despite buses running double and triple routes.
With deep ties to the community — London also owns a barber shop in town — parents have rallied around his firing since news broke Wednesday. A petition on Change.org garnered almost 1,000 signatures in 48 hours.
Breedlove noted London’s firing would be placed in his personnel file in five days. Started by a local parent, Diana F., it reads in part:
“Mr. London has been a guiding light for families like mine. As a parent of a child with asthma, I saw his sensitivity and patience first-hand. He understood their needs, made them feel safe on their daily commute, and has been a significant part of their lives. His empathy is not exceptional but rather a testament to his character- loved and respected by us all.”
Read the full letter here; catch up on PCD’s interview with London here.
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