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Sandra (Ennis) Nunn
Top Member
Canada
1180 Posts |
 Posted - 09/18/2005 : 5:29:33 PM
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Saturday, September 17, 2005 - Justin R. Kalmes / Adrian Daily Telegram, MI
-- Every year, approximately 23.5 million children ride about 400,000 public school buses to and from school and school-related activities. That totals to more than 4 billion miles on the road.
Every day parents expect that their children are going to be safe while boarding, riding and un-boarding a school bus, but few possess firsthand knowledge to support their assumptions.
A TYPICAL DAY
"At night, they're wired," Walton warned prior to the bus's departure to the district's transfer spot at Adrian High School.
"The biggest challenge is keeping them in their seats," Dillon says. "That's mostly it - and keeping their hands off each other."
"I think it's more stressful because there's more traffic now," she said. "And you're trying to babysit and drive at the same time."
Discipline problems can require a variety of actions, Walton said, because certain situations may put the entire bus at risk. She said she tries to keep order as best she can, but sometimes there's little she can do because she's focusing on the road.
KEEPING THE PEACE
Bus drivers face the daunting task of piloting a 10,000-pound vehicle while trying to maintain order among the up to 70 passengers sitting behind them. When factoring in all the outside variables they must focus on, disciplining children can become the least of their priorities. Though they're expected to serve in a role of authority, driving the bus is still their main concern.
"That is one of the toughest jobs in education," said Kyle Griffith, superintendent of Morenci Area Schools. "Imagine teaching a class with your back to them and trying to drive."
Even though the problem doesn't seem to be a major one in Lenawee County, national statistics say otherwise for the rest of the country.
According to a 2004 study released by the National Association of School Resource Officers, school bus violence increased by 35 percent that year. Conversely, fewer than 13 percent of school resource officers reported that violent incidents on buses actually decreased, the report said.
Munday, whose sons are in second and fourth grades, said she wishes the busing system in the Adrian district was broken down by age groups the same way the schools are. She said for younger children, riding the bus with older students can be intimidating.
"We have to say that's just part of life, they need to learn to get along, but it is hard when there isn't an adult supervisor watching the children. That adult supervisor is driving the bus."
SEAT BELTS VS. NO SEAT BELTS
Most buses in Lenawee County's public school districts do not have seat belts. The Adrian Public Schools district is required to have them on all Head Start buses and the Lenawee Intermediate School District has them on buses transporting special-needs students, but other districts rely on the compartmentalization to provide safety for their passengers.
INCIDENTS IN LENAWEE COUNTY
According to the NHTSA, school bus/pedestrian accidents account for the highest number of school bus-related fatalities each year, with about 31 such deaths occurring annually.
The most serious bus-related crashes in Lenawee County happened when a child was off a bus.
KEEPING KIDS SAFE
For Munday, bus transportation is viewed as a safe method of getting her children home, she said, but she still wishes more could be done to ensure their well-being. She said she empathizes with the difficult situations bus drivers face and appreciates their services.
"We're grateful for the bus drivers because they have done a very good job," she said. "We're thankful for the care and attention that they do give to our children."
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Edited by - Sandra (Ennis) Nunn on 09/19/2005 07:03:34 AM
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Are school buses safe?
