A few years ago a friend asked me to help him write a book about his experiences as a school bus driver. He actually believed it would be a perfect theme for a reality show.
Sitting on my 9th Street stoop, I’ve seen plenty of school buses travel back and forth and kids are usually out of their seats, hanging out of windows, and on one occasion a kid threw a pen at a guy who was getting something out his truck.
After the latest incident, folks expect bus drivers to stop fights and administer first aid.
Isn’t a bus driver’s job difficult enough trying to maneuver a huge vehicle through small streets, making sure kids get on and off the correct stops on time, and dealing with traffic?
Screaming, fighting kids are far more distracting than driving while on a cell phone. I don’t see how anyone can expect bus drivers to do their job under those conditions. I imagine bus drivers will soon have locked soundproof booths to sit in to protect them from distractions and keep them safely focused on the road.
Remember back in May when the school bus aid in Upper Darby was cursed out by kids and cried on video vowing to quit? This mess goes on everyday.
God bless all school bus drivers and give them the ability to transport our kids safely from school to home without the unfortunate occupational hazards of noise and disruptions from the students behind them.
And, let’s not ignore the fact that the D.A. is considering charging the 16 year old villain as an adult. That’s become par for the course around here, huh?
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What about pulling over, calling 911 and getting the police
ReplyDeleteSounds great.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't work as planned in the Upper Darby case until they nearly begged the police to show after calling 911.
In the Chester case, there were other phones on the bus and none of those folks called 911. Pulling a big bus over on most Chester streets isn't feasible. If the driver was watching the road (which is his job) it's likely he didn't see the fight.
I don't know the answer, but I'd like to know what exactly a school bus driver is responsible for besides driving. Driving is hard enough and to add the responsibility of monitoring the conduct of a bus full of kids may be too much to ask.
If you think calling 911 is the answer to control a bunch of rowdy kids on a bus, I wonder why it isn't done more.
They were more than rowdy weren't they - - according to what I read they were physically pounding on another human being - - rowdy is noise, verbal abuse, crude language but this was an assault - - or do I have the wrong information??
DeleteI don't know if its because children are more disrespectfu but I graduated in 1983 and I rode the bus from Highland Ave there was alot of the McCafferty Villlage Project kids ont he bus but there was none of that nonsense on the bus. If Mr. Golson said sit down folks was sitting down. I cannot imagine someone hanging out of the window or fighting??? YIKES
ReplyDeleteA great article indeed and a very detailed, realistic and superb analysis, of this issue, very nice write up, Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBus driver training