School Bus Driver's 'NOT SEE' License Plate Sparks Outrage
SAN DIEGO (CBS Sacramento) - A San Diego Unified School District bus driver is being criticized for his vanity license plates that read "NOT SEE."
At first glance, the plates don't appear offensive, but when read aloud, it sounds like "Nazi." The plates were also placed below a swastika on his car.
According to 10News, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) canceled the license plates and asked the owner, Shawn Calpito, to return the them.
"This is a guy who is promoting racial hatred," civil rights attorney Jim McElroy said to 10News.
Calpito, who works with dozens of students each day, has some parents outraged about his license.
"It offends me, personally," Barbara Vickers told 10News. "He doesn't have to change his opinion, but just think of what he's doing for a job."
A parent whose child rides the bus daily to school, Ian Seruello, hopes that his children don't ride on his bus.
"Hopefully my kids wouldn't ride on his bus," Seruello told 10News. "I mean, I would prefer the bus driver who doesn't espouse those ideas."
McElroy said that it is obvious the license plate along with the swastika symbol demonstrate Calpito's support for the Nazis.
"This is not what I would call a legitimate political belief, this is hatred," said McElroy. "The Nazis annihilated six million Jews."
After receiving numerous complaints, the school district released the following statement: "This concern was brought to the district's attention yesterday. School bus driver Shawn Calpito has been placed on leave pending investigation."
Calpito couldn't be reached for comment and his Facebook profile has been taken down.
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