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Speaking emotionally during an interview with CBS 21, Crawford attempted to explain her intent and pushed back against claims that her actions were rooted in racism.
“I do care,” Crawford told CBS 21 while wiping tears from her eyes. “I care about a lot.”
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The former bus driver described how the loss of her job devastated her financially and emotionally, leaving her dependent on government assistance just to survive.
“I don’t know what else to do. I’m on Medicare and Medicaid now and SNAP,” she said while continuing to cry. “I had to go on antidepressants because of this.”
Crawford firmly denied harboring any racial animus toward students and insisted her actions were motivated by safety and discipline concerns—not hostility toward language or culture.
“I didn’t mean to be racially insensitive or anything like that,” she explained, adding that the sign was meant to promote what she described as “safe and respectful” behavior on the bus.
According to Crawford, the sign was specifically aimed at one bilingual student who had been causing repeated disruptions. She said the language barrier made it difficult to determine whether bullying or inappropriate behavior was occurring.
“I didn’t know if he was bullying somebody, telling them to do something that they shouldn’t do,” Crawford said. “How do you keep control of your bus if you have no control.”
While she does not regret attempting to address the situation, Crawford acknowledged that the wording could have been handled differently.
“Maybe I should have worded it (differently). Maybe it should have said, ‘No bullying in any language,’ but I didn’t mean it to be anything but to correct him,” she said.
In response to the growing public scrutiny, the Juniata County School District and Rohrer Bus Service released a joint statement defending their decision and asserting that internal procedures were followed.
“Juniata County School District and Rohrer Bus Service are aware of the claims being raised regarding this matter and would like to clarify the record.
Following the incident in question, the District and Rohrer jointly reviewed the situation in accordance with established procedures. The investigation concluded after the subcontractor provided a written admission confirming that the signage had been installed on her bus.
At that point, the relevant facts of the situation were fully known and discussed among District and Rohrer leadership.
Based on those facts, and after careful consideration, the District and Rohrer determined that the conduct did not align with the standards and expectations for student transportation providers.”
Crawford, however, is not backing down. She says she wants accountability—and financial relief. According to her, she invested approximately $30,000 in purchasing her bus and route in 2024 and is now stuck with debt after losing her livelihood.
“I would like them to admit that they were wrong,” she stated. “I don’t want to be in debt because what they did was wrong.”
The controversy took a dramatic turn Sunday night when Department of Justice officials announced a federal investigation into the matter. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon revealed that the Civil Rights Division has been directed to look into the case.
“This is deeply concerning. I have directed @CivilRights to open an investigation into this situation implicating DEI wokeness,” she wrote.
As the investigation unfolds, Crawford’s case has become a flashpoint in the national debate over language, discipline, and the growing influence of ideological enforcement in public institutions. For many conservatives, the situation raises serious questions about whether common-sense authority is being sacrificed at the altar of political correctness—at the expense of elderly workers who spent their lives serving their communities.
