LCSD bus driver arrested for drugs has history of traffic violations

FORT MYERS, Fla.- A Lee County bus driver arrested in a Fort Myers police drug bust also has a long history of traffic violations.

Claunesha Irons, 26, was arrested Friday. Irons has been a bus driver with the Lee County School District since April 2010.

The school district says after being arrested on drug charges, Irons has been banned from driving any bus routes, and can no longer have contact with any students.

A WINK News investigation uncovered Irons has been convicted of six traffic violations since 2007. Two of those violations happened before she was hired. The others, were while she was employed by the district.

Irons pleaded no contest in 2012 to exceeding the speed limit. She also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance. In 2014, Irons took pleas for failing to obey, and driving without tags.

WINK News asked the school district why someone with that driving record stayed employed. According to the school district’s Safe Driver policy, someone “cannot be considered for a job if they are convicted of two serious traffic violations within the past three years.”

Those serious offenses include exceeding the speed limit, and driving without insurance; Irons committed both while she was a driver.

The district says, “Irons’ driving record does not disqualify her for employment.”

So what does disqualify you in other districts? A WINK News investigation earlier this year made Collier County adopt stricter guidelines. Collier County will not allow a driver to have more than 5 points on their license in a year, 7 points in three years. Meanwhile, Charlotte County hires bus drivers with less than 20 points on their record in their lifetime.