School Fires Driver For Giving Bush The Finger
POSTED: 1:55 pm EST November 2, 2006

ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- A finger to the commander in chief got one driver in a lot of trouble.


A 43-year-old Issaquah school bus driver was fired in September after allegedly flipping off President George W. Bush during his visit to Washington in June.

Bush was in town to campaign for Rep. Dave Reichert. The two were traveling in a limo headed for a fundraiser when they passed several school buses full of students.

The students waved to the president, and while waving back Bush turned to Reichert and said the driver of one of the buses flipped him off.

A week later when Reichert called the Issaquah School District to report the incident he learned that the district was aware of the driver's action and was investigating.

The bus driver was accused by the district of bragging about flipping off the president to other bus drivers.

The driver was fired in September. School district spokeswoman Sara Niegowski said the gesture was "not at all appropriate modeling for students on the bus."

The district officials also said this was not the first incident with the driver, and the driver would have been fired for flipping anyone off, according to Seattle TV station KIRO.

The bus driver has filed a union grievance against the district, claiming wrongful termination.