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news
Top Member
Canada
2951 Posts |
 Posted - 04/17/2008 : 05:41:15 AM
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Thursday, April 17, 2008 - Palm Beach Post,
By CHRISTINA DeNARDO
A year after a Gladeview Elementary student was sexually assaulted on a school bus by a Pahokee Middle/Senior High student, Superintendent Art Johnson is recommending the school board fire the bus driver and the attendant responsible for keeping order on the bus.
full story
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2008 : 11:23:11 PM
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''After they reported it to their supervisor, who notified law enforcement, police charged Williams with child neglect. The case is pending.
During their investigation, police said school bus supervisors, including Alfred Griffin, Glendale Bess and Annie Watts, should have recognized potential problems that could arise with elementary students riding with middle and high school students and failed to monitor the bus route.''
Potential Problems?
My older students get along very well with the younger students and help protect them from becoming any sort of target.
I didn't read anything that suggested the bus driver and the attendant encouraged anything inappropriate or ignored what was thought different enough to respond differently. Nor do I believe either could see through seats and for that reason could not know exactly what went on unless the target or a witness provided the information.
Myself would not believe any of the adults involved had soothsayer or mind reading talents. Would want to know if the school knew something about the offender but did not communicate that information to the bus driver and the attendant.
Seems there was an intervention that ended whatever was going on, a good catch in my opinion and not a suspension or terminating offense.
I'm curious what the policy is at that district when a student refuses to follow directions to move to another seat?
Our policy was to warn the student to follow the direction, when refused inform of earning a bus citation and transport home. Sounds like that may have been the policy at that school district.
These days refusing to move to another seat is used as a marker ...
'Sounds like you are refusing to move to another seat. What do you think is going to happen next when continuing to refuse to follow a direction?' - or - 'Oh boy, guess we are going to have to do something about that.'
Call to dispatch. Give the child the option again to follow the direction. (Refused)
The child is usually returned to the school and escorted off the bus.
Had that been policy the district would have demonstrated that kids targeting other kids for any reason and refusing to move when instructed is so serious it can result in immediate removal from the bus.
When the effort is to maintain a safe, calm bus environment for children then any student refusals to follow directions and yet allowed to continue riding the bus puts the offender in charge, not the adults or the target.
The target might be quietly asked away from the aggressor what happened, but when the child indicates not wanting to discuss it the child is then encouraged to tell someone and that the event will be reported for follow-up. The driver, if that suspicious that something serious happened, reports it like apparently happened in this thread's story and may call the parent as well. Outside of reporting an anomaly we mostly rely on the target to speak about anything serious to whoever feeling most comfortable to do so.
I can not find an issue here with the bus driver and the attendant. Seems an odd story with lots missing. (jk)
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There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 04/17/2008 11:28:04 PM |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2008 : 05:41:48 AM
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"I can not find an issue here with the bus driver and the attendant. Seems an odd story with lots missing."
(jk)
Well let's examine this a bit. Here we have an older boy kneeling on the floor of a school bus kissing a little girl's neck, is seen by the monitor who was so incompetent she didn't know what to do when this boy refused to move to another seat. This "attendant" should have notified the driver immediately. Since the driver took appropriate steps when notified of what happened, I would think that the situation would have been handled differently had this attendant had the presence of mind to immediately notify her.
Her remark of "I just panicked" makes me extremely glad that the boy was not chocking or stabbing this girl. I cannot imagine someone charged with keeping order on a school bus so incompetent that they would panic when a child will not follow their direction to move to another seat. Neither deserves to be fired, in my opinion, but this monitor certainly needs some sort of training in what is required of a bus monitor.
As for the driver, she is the captain of her bus, so she has to bear some responsibility for what happens on her bus. But for me, it would take a complete ignoring of the facts, as we know them at this time, to make the determination that there is no issue with either of these ladies.
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William |
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news
Top Member
Canada
2951 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2008 : 5:18:01 PM
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Board votes on fate of bus driver and aide
May 7, 2008 - WPTV, FL
The entire incident was caught on the bus surveillance camera.
When the DVD made it into the hands of detectives, they documented a far more horrific story than the one Williams and Sellers were telling.
full story
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2008 : 05:28:04 AM
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What the heck more does the district need? Fire these idiots now before another child is harmed while in their care. How is it possible that a three year old is not riding in a car seat? Even if car seats do not apply to school buses, surely it would have been more safe for that little child.
Now in addition to being incompetent, we find they're also liars. And not so incredibly, we have a poster here who cannot find an issue with these two people.
Unbelievable. |
William |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2008 : 11:05:20 PM
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Attempting to start a fray? Some of us here simply are not as eager to lynch a bus driver every time an allegation is made. The new information reveals more about what was happening on that bus, another very good reason every school bus ought to have a working camera on board. (jk)
Why a Video Camera is Necessary on Every School Bus in America
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There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/09/2008 11:10:45 AM |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 05:43:02 AM
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Whenever a teenage boy is kneeling down and kissing a small child and the monitor does nothing I call that an issue. That we knew about before this new information came out. I don't see how anyone can defend an adult who allowed that to happen under the lame excuse that they did not want to lynch the driver and monitor. Why don't you consider the child that's being harmed for a change?
I'm not trying to start a fray, JK, and I would appreciate it if you did not communicate with me one-on-one unless I ask you a question or unless you have something to say that makes sense or you want to ask me a valid question. I do not consider it below my dignity to answer questions and I do not want to see another thread shut down because of bickering.
Have a nice day. |
William |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 10:45:00 AM
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Why don't you consider the child that's being harmed for a change? ... And not so incredibly, we have a poster here who cannot find an issue with these two people. Unbelievable. ... I'm not trying to start a fray, JK, and I would appreciate it if you did not communicate with me one-on-one.
Yes you were. The only poster commenting here so far is me.
Would appreciate the same from you -- no personal communications and no questions unless asked. Should be simple enough to follow your own lead. A great idea for me to follow as well. Also please feel comfortable not having to answer any of my questions, including those seemed directed at you or otherwise. (jk)
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/09/2008 7:02:56 PM |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 10:49:50 AM
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From this thread's new story I'm not out to destroy the supervisors or drivers and monitors as yet, nor promoting child abuse. Nor have I noticed anyone in these forums out to let children be abused by older students.
I'm promoting that transporting mixed ages on any bus requires additional violence prevention training for the bus drivers (and monitors where applicable). The students in turn are informed (trained/educated) by the adults on the bus they are in direct contact with concerning what to do next when something happens.
Every school year's beginning on our k-8 and k-12 buses we have to deal with the bullies, the unruly, offensive language and other anomalies, including sexual issues from a few students toward younger children. At least 80 some percent of the information comes from informed children letting the bus driver know something is amiss, often immediately. Hardly ever does school staff or management provide information. We have to discover it ourselves through trial and error, all while under the constant threat of attacks when getting it wrong.
Although some of the SPEC-ED buses have a monitor, there are no adult monitors on our mainstream school buses. Older students that act out in any unacceptable manner toward a young child (or each other for that matter) are immediately moved closer to the bus driver. Any hint of continued disrespect can involve the bus pulling over, the student escorted off the bus back to the school or home and loss of riding the bus the remainder of the day or longer. Contact is made with the parents by the bus driver and/or staff that day. In some cases the TD gets directly involved. An assigned seat close to the driver awaits a returning student. The bullies and the like are long gone from the bus, long before this time of year. The few oddities remaining I keep close.
The kids must be informed what is unacceptable and what to do next. The bus driver must know what he or she is committing to fulfill and do it. All that involves training and support that works.
Again, no adult monitors on our mainstream buses, yet the environment is safe because we do have a busload of young dedicated monitors that know what to do when something goes amiss. A safe, calm school bus environment helps keep that mutual trust alive and well.
There is not enough information concerning this thread's issue to have no questions. My questions to that employer and their drivers would include: How much information and direction is provided previous to certain children riding, "because of [] well-known disciplinary issues?" Well known to who? How is it that when the student refused to move - (an action marker on our district's buses) - that the bus continued on the route? Where did the child get permission to refuse to follow directions? Where is that child now?
In the new story, (Grenisha) Williams agrees, telling board members that she did not have the proper training to handle such a situation. She said she feels she's "being punished for doing her job:" What was her training and policy concerning how to handle these sorts of events? Was she to physically move a student refusing to move to another seat? (Would doubt that.) Was it one of those 'warn and write a citation' and back away routines?
I have no interest in arguing over the two employees’ outcome - only in what is happening to correct apparent missing training with what is real toward helping keep children safe on those buses. Simple termination of a few employees does not resolve the issue.
And taking over a year - OVER A YEAR? - to finally get the facts straight and to then take a disciplinary action? ...
More questions. (jk)
"It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and THEN do your best" ~W. Edwards Deming
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There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/10/2008 05:56:16 AM |
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kscalf
Senior Member
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 3:01:34 PM
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quote:
In the new story, (Grenisha) Williams agrees, telling board members that she did not have the proper training to handle such a situation. She said she feels she's "being punished for doing her job:" What was her training and policy concerning how to handle these sorts of events? Was she to physically move a student refusing to move to another seat? (Would doubt that.) Was it one of those 'warn and write a citation' and back away routines?
How much training does it take to know that when a high-school boy is lying on a 3 year old girl (face down) that these two needed to be immediately separated? Common sense is so "uncommon" sometimes that it baffles me! |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 6:49:39 PM
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That would be my question exactly. Upon seeing something of that nature it does seem that if nothing else, common sense would have told that monitor that this was wrong and had to stop. Instead, she panicked and allowed this atrocious behavior to continue. Now here we are conjuring up lack of training as a mitigating circumstance. Is this idiotic, disingenious, clutching at straws, or all the above?
The statement that she is being "punished for doing her job" gives a clear picture of the mental organization of this woman. Had she done her job, in all probability, we wouldn't be commenting on the events of that day. |
William |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2008 : 6:57:41 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by kscalf
... Common sense is so "uncommon" sometimes that it baffles me!
Would have to agree. It does seem that these new generations include plenty of new adults that did not learn 'common sense' from the same foundation most previous adults did many decades ago. Some of the new generation may need training in work ethics as well as closer supervision. The option is to screen more carefully for traditional based adults. Drug screening and accurate background checks is a good beginning in that regard.
Specific to this thread's issue: What was a high school student with some sort disciplinary issues left unexplained doing sitting in the same seat with a very young child? Where is that kid now? This story would seem a preview of a can of worms were the press to open that can. (jk)
FREE School Bus Safety Ads & Photo Library
Post Check, Hostage Takeover, Bus Fire, Danger Zones and special effects photos now available Free to use at websites, in newsletters, memos, the local press, letters to parents and more. This is a very popular Website. If you can't get in bookmark the page and try again later.
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2008 : 09:55:56 AM
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It seems very clear to me that the "question left unexplained" can be explained by one word: incompetence. There was a monitor on the bus and there was a driver on the bus.
These people allowed this to happen to that child. Can anyone please tell us why there is a continuing effort by some to minimize their roles in this?
No amount of harping on training or management or punishment for doing their jobs is going to make this go away.
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William |
Edited by - william on 05/13/2008 11:59:38 AM |
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news
Top Member
Canada
2951 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2009 : 6:30:11 PM
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Palm Beach County school bus attendant convicted of child neglect
Palm Beach Post - #8206;May 22, 2009#8206;
By CHRISTINA DeNARDO
WEST PALM BEACH — A former Palm Beach County school bus attendant who stood by as a pre-schooler was raped by a teenager on her bus was convicted of child neglect on Thursday.
full story
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2009 : 10:10:09 PM
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Raped? And the attendant "just panicked"? Okay, fire and charge the attendant. Remains very possible the bus driver was not aware of what was happening while concentrating on the road and with an unskilled monitor on board in charge of the kids. Can understand that and this event clearly supports the necessity for cameras on the school buses. How long was that bus driver driving bus? Myself it took some dozen years and violence prevention training paid for out of my own pocket to develop the skills needed to manage kids without additional support present on the bus and with poor support from the schools and management. Not likely to have missed this one these days, but before the training and time to acquire the skills at reading conditions on the bus might well have missed this event earlier in my career. Guess some here are perfect at that sort of thing right out the gate. Not me and was not fearful to publicly present that fact wherever relevant, nor resistant to acquiring great training even when the employer was too cheap to pay for it. You school bus drivers that have neither decent support or excellent violence prevention training have my understanding how so much can be missed, even what some claim the so-called obvious. It ought to also be obvious how poor training, poor support, and poor systems can bring these sorts of outcomes. There is too often more neglect toward children on the buses beyond that assailed against school bus drivers than meets the eye. (jk)
Policy Development Sheet: – School Bus Code of Conduct - Click Here for Link
FREE School Bus Safety Ads & Photo Library
Post Check, Child Left Behind, Hostage Takeover, Bus Fire, Danger Zones and special effects photos now available Free to use at websites, in newsletters, memos, the local press, letters to parents and more. This is a very popular Website. If you can't get in bookmark the page and try again later.
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/23/2009 10:18:12 PM |
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WallyG
Advanced Member
United States
255 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2009 : 06:32:08 AM
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| WOW teenagers on a bus with pre school kids is just asking for trouble. Agree the driver probably didn't know what was going on and the monitor is just an average monitor who is as effective as a maniquin sitting back there. |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2009 : 09:41:59 AM
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I can agree that at lackadaisical styled facilities a k-12 mix on the buses virtually assures trouble. Adding preschoolers to the mix would be an issue at such facilities as well.
Hiring practices, the management style, training of the drivers and also the riders, the level of real support, and educating parents how to help. These things and more, directly and indirectly, affect establishing and maintaining safer, calmer school bus environments for children and also safer workplaces for the bus drivers.
In a healthy, functioning environment a k-12 mix and even preschoolers included in the mix is no different than any other mode of school bus transportation. All are safe from neglect and abuse to and from their destinations.
Where the bus drivers are pretty much abandoned and the violence prevention training is poor to none it follows those attitudes toward the safety of children on the buses is lacking from the top down.
Bus drivers are acting normal, in my opinion, where they believe that if the employer is not going to provide effective training, is not going to back that training up with effective support, then the message is clear enough. The kids are a commonality, a sort of precious cargo traded for dollars, and are not actually considered the precious lives implied at school board meetings. This chameleon sort mimics the genuine with words, not deeds.
There are excellent public and private contractors, administrations and school boards that do more than just say they care, that do provide effective training and support. Based on my experience with the same employer over several generations of administrative rule the differences in management attitudes significantly affected the attitudes of the workforce involved.
Even my routes are safer, calmer places now because nothing less is acceptable to current management. Expectations are enforced, issues are dealt with often in the moment and at the lowest level possible. Bullies and the defiant are off the bus pronto, as well as these offered a new opportunity to ride when ready to help me keep kids safe. Not ready to follow directions and practice the skill of courtesy? Stay away from the buses.
When once upon a time the employer was less supportive, that reality did not deter the efforts of those willing to stay on mission. Regardless, could not myself condemn bus drivers that seldom looked in their passenger mirrors, when knowing to do so also means a greater potential toward the bus driver blamed than the kids acting out effectively dealt with.
Follow the leader's actual attitude often prevails in every endeavor. What is said is irrelevant, the attitude and deeds behind the words are what counts.
A licensed bus driver that on his or her own takes some of the authority away from the established authorities at the time, and puts him or herself by law and license the actual authority on the school bus - to complete providing safe, calm environments for children and also a hostile free workplace environment for the bus driver - such are certain to fall under attack from every direction.
Authority is power and most that have real power will not give it up without a fight. Any school bus driver attempting this anomaly had better be well versed in the statutes, policy and the politics involved -- have every duck in a row.
It also helps a great deal to have a clear understanding of the middle school age mentality. Comes in handy at times when working with some adults.
When working within a dysfunctional environment it is not hard to do well on behalf of children, their parents, the employer and oneself. The hard part is surviving it.
An interdependent management style, which is our facility’s current style, willingly shares the authority with staff that is also willing to act responsibly with that authority. The difference in safety on the school buses is astonishing.
Industry consultant John Farr was on target concerning giving school bus drivers more authority on the their buses. I had to beg, barrow and steal away some authority to help prove that truth at my community’s school district. Knowing that this sort of somewhat commandeering behavior of the bus is offensive even to some of the reasonable, the conduct can be survived when measuring each insubordinate act carefully and with expert support to offset the politics involved. I did what I had to do to help keep kids safe.
Starting next year a new policy reflects that any child receiving a bus referral can not return to riding the buses until after a parent conference with at least the bus driver. Our current school board and management overall finally understands and now also wants safe bus environments for real.
It becomes obvious in an interdependent environment that some bus driver’s lackadaisical attitude toward the safety of children stands out like a weed growing in an otherwise weed-free lawn. These are revealed and can be dealt with as well:
Is it a lacking in that driver's training, or a lacking in that driver's character? Looks the same on the surface of things. Discovering the reality, not politics, helps determine what happens next that in-turn helps keep kids safe.
Management wins when they share the authority with their school bus drivers for the safety of all involved. They win big and they win for real. (jk)
Policy Development Sheet: – School Bus Code of Conduct - Click Here for Link
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/24/2009 11:08:19 AM |
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WallyG
Advanced Member
United States
255 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2009 : 10:34:52 AM
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| JK My guess is you drive in a suburban or country environment since you know nothing of urban intercity busing. You can get off your high horse for a while and listen to folks who know what they are talking about. I have worked in both suburban and urban settings and take it from me there is no comparison between the two. |
Edited by - WallyG on 05/24/2009 10:36:33 AM |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2009 : 12:17:58 PM
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Those who do their homework are prepared for most every aspect of their profession.
My personal time homework included at least 800-hours per year of study and including interaction over a period of two decades with industry and other experts from all over this country and parts of the rest of the world.
The separation of busing environments, concerning suburban or country environments v/s urban intercity busing, John farr said it best some years ago here in this forum:
"Because you have to eat an elephant may not be a reason to defer." ~ John Farr, Transportation Director, OUSD, Ocenside, Calif., concerning Bus driver authority on unruly Middle School bus routes. FEB 2002
It was from Farr and plenty of others like-minded with him that helped me acquire the knowledge and skills to actually help keep kids safe.
Regardless, you are correct that there can be differences at some school districts, but this applies to big and small school districts alike, intercity or otherwise.
Gangs on the buses require additional strategies involving law enforcement to eradicate that anomaly. Some facilities and their communities are more technologically advanced but barbaric acting on the social level. And a kid with a gun can show up on most any bus and most anywhere in this country.
No doubt in my mind, and agree that some of the acts I committed to fulfill the employer’s written mission (a promise to the community) to help keep kids safe may have been overwhelmed by the politics involved at some facilities, especially ever present at very large facilities. My termination may have been quick and without immediate redress.
Your opinion:
1.) Would I have stayed with the mission?
2.) Would I have blended in and closed my eyes to keep my job?
-or-
3.) Would I have left that employer in short order?
No mater where we are, no matter the circumstances, all big and all small have the power to make a choice, come what may. No greater example of that truth than what can be found in the gifts from the founding fathers of this great nation. (jk)
“That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong.” ~ William J. H. Boetcker, (1873 – 1962), American religious leader and influential public speaker.
Policy Development Sheet: – School Bus Code of Conduct - Click Here for Link
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/26/2009 08:57:42 AM |
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WallyG
Advanced Member
United States
255 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2009 : 07:44:22 AM
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| Your comments prove mu point thank you JK. |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2009 : 12:54:05 PM
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Thank You. John Farr and many others helped me understand, be it big or small school districts. The problem with unsafe bus environments is not the size of the school district, not the kids, and too often is not the bus drivers. It is adults that are supposed to be in charge making excuses to let unruly kids be the ones in charge of the buses. Clever one-sentence comebacks empty of content do not eliminate that reality. What is not said (what is hidden) can reveal as much or more than as what is said. I took the time to present my position with content to support that position. You've taken the time to present a sentence or two here and there. You seem to be personally wasting my time. Regardless, there are many readers in this forum that help make up for that strategy. It remains a useful encounter provided what has taken time to present is useful to others.
Look at the three options mentioned earlier and see if you can find what is hidden? If you can not find what is hidden, then perhaps someone else can. I've edited the options to this post for your convenience.
... At some facilities my termination may have been quick and without immediate redress.
Your opinion:
1.) Would I have stayed with the mission?
2.) Would I have blended in and closed my eyes to keep my job?
-or-
3.) Would I have left that employer in short order?
(jk)
Policy Development Sheet: – School Bus Code of Conduct - Click Here for Link
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/26/2009 09:16:52 AM |
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WallyG
Advanced Member
United States
255 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2009 : 02:28:57 AM
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| It's not about big districts it's about inner city kids and parents. You clerly don't know what you don't know about urban busing. You ought to quit while your behind. |
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2009 : 03:15:01 AM
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JK is correct about student management. The ultimate goal is that ALL school buses are safe and orderly. There must be plenty of training - and immediate management support when there is a problem. Troublemakers can be sneaky. As JK said, drivers (who have set high standards and gained their students' trust) must rely on those students to report problems - and they will.
Once it is clear that the organization expects high standards drivers will help other drivers who appear to be struggling - and the successful drivers will notify trainers or management when their advice appears to have failed. The attitude becomes contagious - that all kids deserve a safe ride to/from school.
The same principles WILL WORK in an urban setting. An umbrella of support from the employer empowers the driver to remove problem students from the bus for increasing periods of time. As JK said, the process of attrition will, throughout the school year, eliminate all who chose to not follow the school district rules.
Regarding the original post in this thread: Had there been a clear expectation that the bus environment be calm and safe, the driver and attendant would have been compelled to immediately redirect the older student. Their training and support would require this action. In this environment of support from the employer THEY (by law the driver is just as, if not more responsible) definitely would have derelict by not taking immediate action. If they had no training or support, it seems to me that in spite of this, common sense would have dictated that THEY intervene Given the information on the video, I feel the school board took the correct action.
John |
Edited by - John Farr on 05/27/2009 03:17:19 AM |
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WallyG
Advanced Member
United States
255 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2009 : 5:57:32 PM
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Hey John, ever hear about parents who wait for a bus driver with a bat or gun because the driver wrote up their kid for misbehaving on the bus. Don't know which fantisy world you guys live in but us in the real world have to deal with districts who have kids that will not be in school if kicked off a bus, some parents are very unsophisticated they don't care why, all they know is their kid is home and needs to be in school. Districts are in a though place they are mandated by law to educate these kids but the kids and parents have no idea how to act.
Umbrella what - wish I were back in the burbs where all is wonderful. |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2009 : 9:39:44 PM
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Caring why may be unsophisticated as well. 'Why' is a dangerous question to ask the universe -- the answer can be too potent to accept.
Thank you for coming out of your box and risking the questioning of your reasoning. Content makes you vulnerable, something I would think you don't much care for. One or two sentences without content is much safer - no risks.
Your description of the "real world" seems a sad place with an abundant assortment of gifts accumulated from generation after generation from the community's adults decision making. The results are obvious, speak for themselves, including those decisions to accept and make excuses for. There seems no content to define a possible restoring (usually isn't) -- only a demand to accept the unacceptable.
I see you as a survivor, a special kind of person that can thrive in a community of barbarians. I don't see that as necessarily sophisticated, but more like survival with iPod support. If this is not the case, what stopped you from acting on what you say you wish for?
This all leads back to taking a risk even if wrong, something you seem to shy away from. Here's another chance but can understand if you can't take the risk.
Look at the three options mentioned earlier and see if you can find what is hidden? If you can not find what is hidden, then perhaps someone else can. I've edited the options to this post for your convenience.
... At some facilities my termination may have been quick and without immediate redress.
Your opinion:
1.) Would I have stayed with the mission?
2.) Would I have blended in and closed my eyes to keep my job?
-or-
3.) Would I have left that employer in short order?
(jk)
Policy Development Sheet: – School Bus Code of Conduct - Click Here for Link
There is no school bus driver shortage!
Properly train, effective support and pay that retains. |
Edited by - JK on 05/27/2009 9:45:42 PM |
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2009 : 03:08:25 AM
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To WallyG:
I've worked in the urban environments you describe. With the proper system of parent notification the violent situations you describe are rare to non-existent.
There should be no surprises to student, driver or parent when suspension from the bus is going to occur. Drivers should not work in a vacuum, but rather as part of a team. When the driver is required to call the parent before suspending the student from the bus, a problem psrent will be identified at that time. The driver was trained to defer the call to me when there was a problem parent. In my case I asked that the parent meet immediately (usually the next day) with me, the driver, and a school administrator AT THE SCHOOL. The school is a safe place and parents are less likely to embarrass themselves there, plus there were school resource officers available for extreme cases. If the parent refused to meet and continued to threaten violence, the police would be notified and every possible protection afforded the driver, such as ride-alongs on the bus, and stop observation. The parent is notified that this conduct in most states is a felony.
Driving a school bus is a tough job, and drivers should feel safe. I'm not naieve enough to say that it is impossible to always head off a violent parent (e.g. neighborhood feud issues unknown to the driver). Driver training should still cover what a driver is to do when confronted with such a situation. When a driver calls for help we need to have a system in place to protect everyone involved with immediate assistance. |
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FL: Two bus workers may be fired
