Delaware School Bus Aide Arrested for Child Abuse After Shuffle With Student

Frankford, DE – Delaware State Police have taken into custody 80-year-old Priscilla Schoolfield from Frankford, Delaware, in connection with an incident of child abuse on a school bus. Schoolfield, a school bus aide, is facing charges following an altercation with a student while on duty.

On September 23, Delaware State Police received a report from the Indian River School District regarding a troubling event involving a school bus aide and a young student. The investigation revealed that on September 16, a bus serving the Indian River School District Early Learning Center picked up a 4-year-old student at a stop near their home.

During the boarding process, Priscilla Schoolfield allegedly pushed the child to the back of the bus, forcefully seated the student, and then struck them.

After gathering sufficient evidence, authorities arrested Schoolfield on October 8 and took her to Troop 4. The subsequent legal proceedings included arraignment by Justice of the Peace Court 2, where Schoolfield was officially charged with third-degree child abuse, a felony offense. Following the hearing, she was released on her own recognizance.

The incident has drawn attention to the

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.