They don't know what the school district thinks he did wrong. But the kids who ride bus #55 don't think it could be so bad that their driver, Mr. Fox, should lose his job. So when he was put on administrative leave recently in relation to an incident about which the school district is remaining silent, they took action.
Now the Maltby area route is punctuated with hand lettered signs expressing support for the beloved driver and calling for his return, and students are gathering dozens of signatures on a petition of support.
"We really miss Mr. Fox," said Ian Nagle, a middle school student, who gathered more than a dozen fellow students and some of their parents at their bus stop Friday to talk about the driver. "He's always really nice."
In about five and a half years since taking the route, Jim Fox has been extremely considerate to kids, parents and area residents alike, parents and kids say. Accounts of his extraordinary dedication to his job abound.
"My mom was having trouble getting up the hill on 201st, because it gets really icy there," said Emma Nagle, Ian's sister. "He sanded the road for her."
"And he goes to all our school auctions and plays," chimed in Lauren Laster, another student.
"He used to call us fifth graders 'the Dream Team,'" said Jenna Cook. "Because we were! We always acted good."
"One time there was someone walking around in a mask when I had to walk to my house and he drove me up to my house," said Christina Rosencrantz. Her house was about four houses up from the stop at the end of the route, but Fox dropped her at her door and made sure she got in all right. The masked individuals turned out to be University of Washington researchers doing a study of area crows, but her parents really appreciated his concern, they said.
"There's this thing called the Brag Book that he has," said Megan McBride. "He puts just about everybody in it and it means you did good."
"And he memorizes everyone's names," said Savannah Laster.
"And he buys one box of Girl Scout cookies from every Girl Scout on the bus," said Rosencrantz. In fact, said Mandy Nagle, mother of Ian and Emma, the driver in his free time drove to the locations at which his charges were selling the cookies to make sure he patronized each. "He asked where my daughter was selling Girl Scout cookies," said Mike Tanner, father of Kayci Tanner. "He said he'd bought from everyone else, and he said he'd buy one from her, too."
"He called my house when I left my progress report on the bus," said Taylor Hallock.
ÒHe thought he saw my dog was loose and called Colleen (Marzluff, another parent with whom Lois Hallock walks frequently) to say 'I think her dog is loose,'" said Lois Hallock, Taylor's mother.
He drives very slowly though the residential area and cuts people and cars a wide berth, including the scooter in which rides senior citizen Marcia Omura, walking her small dog Sugar, said Omura. "I wish everyone would do that," she said.
And he is very likeable, said other students.
"He's really funny," said Ella Halsan.
"And he always says goodbye to each one when they get off the bus," said Jonas Katona.
"Mr. Fox is the greatest bus driver I ever had," said Kyle Bailey.
"He sounds friendly and nice to everyone," said Lauren McKeever.
Although the kids don't know what the issue was that got the driver placed on administrative leave, the parents do, said Tina Halsan, mother of two of the bus riders. And it isn't sufficient to make any of them uncomfortable with having him return to his route. They can't discuss it, and nor can the driver or the school district, but they confirm that it didn't involve children.
In fact, dealing with kids seems to be the man's special forte, said Halsan. "He has said sometimes it was his calling," she said.
Now they want him back.
The matter will likely be resolved in May.
Before the district sits down to decide whether Mr.Fox should return to his job, some of the girls decided to let the district know how they feel.
So they jumped in the air, cheerleader style, and gave a cheer. "Fox rocks!"
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