Bus Driver Terminated for ‘Act of Kindness’ After Letting Boy Rescue Kitten from the Side of the Road, Mom Says

A school bus driver has been removed from her route after she allegedly stopped to let a student rescue a kitten on a rural Maryland road

Cynthia Morgan had driven for Harford County Public Schools for 11 years before her removal

Parents are now circulating a petition, calling the decision excessive despite acknowledging safety concerns

A Maryland bus driver was removed from her route after allowing a student to exit the vehicle to rescue a kitten, according to multiple reports.

Cynthia Morgan was terminated earlier this week after allowing the student to leave the bus to help the animal on Heaps School Road, a rural roadway, according to CBS affiliate WJZ .

The student, identified as 10-year-old boy Alex Thomas, was the only child on the bus at the time, according to Baltimore Sun , which reported that after dropping Alex off at school, the cat remained with the driver.

Speaking with the newspaper, Alex's mom, Taffy Thomas, said that her son "would have been devastated" to not help the animal.

"The fact that she was let go because of an act of kindness does really weigh on him," Taffy added. "That is unforgivable and cruel."

Morgan, 67, who has driven buses for Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) for 11 years, told WJZ she was crushed by the decision.

Some parents believe the decision to remove Morgan from the job was too harsh and so far, a petition to get the bus driver back on the job has gotten nearly 800 signatures as of Friday, Oct. 9.

"Over the years, Cynthia has become more than just a bus driver to our children; she is someone they look forward to seeing every morning and afternoon. Her kind and warm nature makes the pupils feel safe and comfortable," read a message on the petition. "Her abrupt dismissal is a loss not just for the students who ride her bus but for our community at large."

"We just feel the way that it was handled was not appropriate," parent Carolyn Kalambihis told WJZ, emphasizing that it was not a high-traffic road. "We feel that termination was a little excessive."

In a statement obtained by WJZ and the Sun , HCPS said student safety "remains our top priority, and all certification decisions are made with that responsibility in mind."

"Certification and decertification are not always based on a single factor but often involve consideration of multiple circumstances and requirements," the district stated, although they noted Morgan was employed by an independent contractor, identified by the outlets as Cleary Transportation Inc.

When reached for comment by the Sun, the independent contractor referred the newspaper to the school district.

HCPS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.