COVINGTON (KY)
WKRC-TV, CBS-12 [Cincinnati OH]
September 14, 2026
By David Winter, WKRC
Leaders in a local school district were aware of questionable incidents that occurred with a substitute teacher prior to his arrest for allegedly physically abusing a student.
Local 12 obtained the employee file of the Covington Public Schools substitute and discovered the incidents. We looked into the file because police arrested 61-year-old Bryan Bundy 11 days ago for “criminal abuse in the second degree with a child 12 or under.”
Police say the felony occurred when Bundy grabbed a non-verbal 5-year-old boy by the arm, dragged him down a hall, then flung him toward a wall. They say he kicked the boy’s communication device, striking the wall. Then, he kicked the boy towards the wall with his foot.
An open records request was filed with the school district to obtain Bundy’s employee file and found two previous incidents of potentially inappropriate behavior.
Bundy’s file showed he has been with Covington Independent Public Schools since the 2021-22 school year. It shows he had no previous teaching jobs on his resume, nor did he study teaching in school. It also had two previous incidents that showed what some may interpret as a pattern of inappropriate behavior toward children.
The first was an email in March 2023; the principal at Biggs Preschool, part of Covington Independent Schools, asked her admin to take Bundy off of the list to sub at Biggs. She said, “His interactions were not appropriate for preschoolers.”
It goes on to say, “[The vice principal] also went to the classroom that afternoon and observed him.” The principal says she spoke with Bundy at lunch, presumably about whatever occurred in the classroom, and Bundy told her he no longer wanted to sub there.
Then in 2024, while subbing at Ninth District Elementary School, another incident, this time prompting written confirmation of a verbal reprimand. The letter from the superintendent says a parent registered a complaint regarding, “Your use of inappropriate language with her 9-year-old student.” It goes on to say, “You acknowledge use of the word ‘a**.'”
Ashley Cooper says Bundy has subbed for her 4th grader at Latonia.
“I wouldn’t put it past him with as angry as I’ve heard him get with certain people before,” she said.
Cooper went on to say her son told her Bundy gets verbally abusive. She said she wished the district would have taken warning signs more seriously.
“I don’t know if other parents have spoken to them,” said Cooper. “I know some have about certain instances where he’s been angry with children and he still has a job.”
Local 12 asked her if this all happened before the most recent incident.
“Mmhmm. After,” said Cooper.
She was then asked if she wished the district took care of it ahead of time.
“Yeah,” said Cooper.
The district was asked why Bundy was still teaching children after the first two incidents. While they have not yet answered that question, district leaders said this after this latest incident:
“School administration acted immediately to protect students and engage law enforcement and the appropriate state agencies. The individual is no longer employed by the district.”
Local 12 also learned from the file that Bundy no longer works for the district because he quit the day he was arrested. Bundy is out of jail on a $2,500 bond. He’s due back in court on Friday.
Local 12 asked whether Bundy’s resignation would stop the process of a school district investigation. The Kentucky Department of Education wrote, saying, “Abusive conduct investigations shall be conducted by the school district until they are completed and shall not end prior to completion due to the employee transferring or leaving the school district.” The DOE went on to write, “A school district shall disclose any disciplinary action and any resulting resignation or termination related to abusive conduct to school districts considering the applicant for employment.”