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JK
Top Member
USA
6913 Posts |
 Posted - 05/18/2008 : 11:52:59 AM
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Parents Can Watch Video If Children Are Part Of Incidents
May 17 2008
KMGH 7 Denver
DENVER -- A Greeley-Evans School District has changed its policy to allow parents to see school bus video of their children if they are involved in incidents on a bus.
The change in policy came after Mike Moskalski demanded to see video of his child that school officials used to suspend him after an altercation in April, reported the Greeley Tribune.
Moskalski's son was suspended for 10 days after the incident. Moskalski argued his son was defending himself and did not provoke the incident.
District officials told Moskalski that federal rules prevented them form releasing the video.
Moskalski told the Tribune he is happy with the district's decision.
"I'm glad they did it," he said. "I'm going to offer them some praise."
District spokesman Roger Fiedler said the district chose to change its policy after Moskalski raised his concerns. He said the district reviewed its policies and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
"We agreed it would be the better thing to do," he told the Tribune.
Click Here for source
District 6 changes school bus video policy
May 16 2008
Greeley Tribune
Greeley-Evans School District 6 has changed its policy and will allow parents to see school bus video involving their children if they are part of incidents on a school bus.
Click Here for full story
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. |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2008 : 12:14:20 PM
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Now wait a minute. If federal rules forbade that parent from seeing the video, how then could the school district revise their policy to supercede federal policy? The problem you have in these districts are pompus individuals such as the bureaucrats of this district and I seriously doubt that such federal law has ever existed. These people must hold parents in serious contempt.
I think these turkeys realized they would probably have to defend their bogus policy in a court of law and came to their senses. The question is, how many other parents have they laid this line of bull spit on? |
William |
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fsdrvr
Active Member
United States
31 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2008 : 3:50:32 PM
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| Perhaps their policy was based on a misinterpretation of the Federal law. After reviewing the lawe, they found that they COULD show the video to the parent. |
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78fordwayne
Top Member
USA
2632 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2008 : 6:17:17 PM
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Allowing parents to see the bus videos is a good thing. Showing the video from my bus saved my butt once.
Parents just don't get it until they see it for them selves |
Robert B.
Last update: 8/23/10
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origcharger
Top Member
United States
619 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2008 : 8:28:03 PM
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Over the years there have been differant interpretations of the rules and schools have been advised by their attorneys that they risk violating student confidentiality rules by letting parents view tapes. At one time we were told to be safe we would have to black out the other kids faces if we wanted to let parents/public view the tapes.
Sometimes its helpful to have parents see what their kids are doing, many times the parent is more intent to catch other kids doing the same things and not being punished or they are looking to see if they can catch the bus driver doing something wrong because you see its never their "little Johnnies" fault.
Best policy seems to be to allow parent to see only the portion of the tape that contains the incident involving their child. |
Operating; Seven T444Es, One MaxxForce 7, One VT365, Four DT466s, One E-450 6.0 and one Mercedes in a C2. |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2008 : 11:34:13 PM
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I don't disagree with you, origcharger, but over the years we've seen footage of videos filmed on school buses with and without faces being blotted out. However, that would be no problem really, given the technology of today.
I can understand districts being careful on this, but it seems to me that laws involving confidentiality would not extend to the point where parents should not be allowed to view tapes of their own children misbehaving. How far do we take confidentiality anyway?
I see just as much opportunity for a school district to supress information that would perhaps exonerate a child if only they were able to view the tapes. You have to admit that if many kids on the bus are doing the same things as your kid but only your kid is being punished, something is very wrong. But these things do happen. |
William |
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origcharger
Top Member
United States
619 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 2:18:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by william
I don't disagree with you, origcharger, but over the years we've seen footage of videos filmed on school buses with and without faces being blotted out. However, that would be no problem really, given the technology of today.
I can understand districts being careful on this, but it seems to me that laws involving confidentiality would not extend to the point where parents should not be allowed to view tapes of their own children misbehaving. How far do we take confidentiality anyway?
The arguement has been that the tapes are part of the students records which are subject to confidentiality rules. Its not really the viewing of ones own kids that comes under question its the other kids.
quote:
I see just as much opportunity for a school district to supress information that would perhaps exonerate a child if only they were able to view the tapes. You have to admit that if many kids on the bus are doing the same things as your kid but only your kid is being punished, something is very wrong. But these things do happen.
Its generally not that many kids are actually doing the same thing, its the parent whose child has told them that "everyone else was doing it" or "the driver cusses" or "the driver calls us names" the parent believes them and then wants to watch the entire tape or a weeks worth of tapes solely for the purpose of trying to get their kid off the hook.
The recorders are tools and like any other tool they can be misused, policies for their use need to be in place.
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Operating; Seven T444Es, One MaxxForce 7, One VT365, Four DT466s, One E-450 6.0 and one Mercedes in a C2. |
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guzaldo
Advanced Member
421 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 3:13:33 PM
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| You mean kids don't always tell the truth.........well I'll be. |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 4:49:52 PM
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| Yeah... I can see that. Hey thanks, origcharger. But you know, gulzaldo, I can't tell you how many parents have looked me right in the eye and told me "my kid does not lie". |
William |
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origcharger
Top Member
United States
619 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 6:57:38 PM
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The videos expose what the kids do, they also sometimes "expose" the parents for how they react and handle the situation. Here are three common scenarios I have observed;
Some parents want to see the video and if they see their child actually did the deed you have their support.
Some parents will accept no report that their child misbehaved unless they see a video, once they find out there actually is a video of the incident, they won't show up to watch it, getting their child off the hook then just switches tactics.
Some parents as previously described want to watch hours of tapes searching for all the things going on that their "little Johnnie" tells them goes on and if those "guilty" parties are not punished then Johnnie is not to be either. |
Operating; Seven T444Es, One MaxxForce 7, One VT365, Four DT466s, One E-450 6.0 and one Mercedes in a C2. |
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guzaldo
Advanced Member
421 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2008 : 04:12:48 AM
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| William I have heard the same thing many times. |
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School Bus M8
Top Member
USA
617 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2008 : 6:04:16 PM
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In Massachusetts there is a law that states that it is legal to video tape but illegal to tape the audio without consent. I know in my district in order to ride the bus the student and the parent have to sign and return a paper saying that they understand the rules and regulations of the bus. One regulation is that audio and video survailence can be used on any bus at any time. However in a neighboring white collar town of Hingham they ordered cameras for their buses and had to return them or make them so they couldn't record audio. Some parents thought it was a violation of the childerens rights. Does anyone know if the audio law is excluded in places such as a school bus? Does anyone have laws similar to this in their state?
In regards to the actual topic. If it's a federal law that parents can't watch their child misbehave on the bus, how can they post videos on the news? It sounds like this district was misinformed. I agree that the parents should be able to watch their child misbehave on the bus but thats the only portion of the video they should be allowed to watch. I am strongly against parents being able to watch several days of tapes or even video that does not involve thier child.
Believe it or not I have rarely experienced a child or parent saying "not my child" or "my child doesn't lie." Most parents and administrators take my word for it. I have heard of other drivers having this problem in my yard every once in a while. One thing I have heard on occasion by other drivers are parents admitting that their kid did do something but feel they shouldn't be punished. I remember this one time an administrator told me that he suspended a kid from school and the bus after his out of school suspension. The student swore (and not just one swear but quite a few) at the driver. The parent admitted it and get this, this was her response "well I'M a paying customer and the customer is always right"! no lie. |
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JK
Top Member
USA
6913 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2008 : 7:48:45 PM
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''... The parent admitted it and get this, this was her response "well I'M a paying customer and the customer is always right"! no lie.''
The customer is always right fallacy is more often promoted by some school principals and other management as a convenient excuse to do nothing to help the bus driver keep kids safe. Another is 'kids have to have an education' placing the burden and unnecessary risk on the rest of the children and their bus driver to transport an obnoxious unruly child. Myself do not view my riders or parents as customers, but partners that are supposed to be helping me keep kids safe. A customer is of little obligation but to be served. (jk)
Customer is always right fallacy - This fallacy seems to have been enhanced by some in our industry to include outright siding with an angry parent's and the child's version of what happened on the school bus, then demanding the school bus driver prove his or her position is the correct version. - Click here for story (Page down thread to story.)
Why a Video Camera is Necessary on Every School Bus in America
(On slower computers Pause the video player, let the video download completely, then play.)
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. |
Edited by - JK on 05/20/2008 7:50:30 PM |
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william
Top Member
USA
1912 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2008 : 05:41:51 AM
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In all the years I have been in this business, I have never seen parents nor managers espousing or promoting the position that the customer, including the child is always right. As a matter of fact, I would be surprised if this position is taken by any manager or administrator anywhere in this country. This position would be completely incompatible with the driver being able to keep any child safe on the bus or even to manage his bus.
Is there anyone else in the world who has experienced school principals and managers promoting the position that the "customers" are always right when it comes to transporting school children? |
William |
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guzaldo
Advanced Member
421 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2008 : 06:17:45 AM
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Right on William, not customers OR partners, they are passengers in our custody for the short time they are on the bus, it is our job to get them to their destination safe and on time.
I have good experience with school administrators finding out the truth from he kids, weather it's about an incident on the bus or accusations about the driver. I told a principal the other day that we don't need water boarding to interrogate terrorists. Just have an experienced principal interrogate them and the truth will come out. |
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School Bus M8
Top Member
USA
617 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2008 : 06:37:55 AM
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"In all the years I have been in this business, I have never seen parents nor managers espousing or promoting the position that the customer, including the child is always right."
I never heard of a manager or administrator promote "the customer is always right" excuse as well. When the vice principal told me this I thought to myself concerning the parent what a piece of work. Of course the administrator did follow through and still suspended the student off the bus. It just shows you what some people (adminsitrators, teachers, and bus drivers) are up against. I'm glad that in my 8 years of driving that for the most part I have had the support of the parents and administrators. In this case the parent was just an arrogant adult who was admittiing and excusing her childs misbehavior. As they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And your right they are not customers but passengers. It's like telling a police officer that the people he arrest are his customers. |
Edited by - School Bus M8 on 05/21/2008 06:39:26 AM |
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School District Allow Parents To See Bus Video
