School Bus Safety (Rapid City, Ellsworth AFB: schools, college, salary)

[Rock Hunter 24/7]

As some of you know, I drive a School Bus for the State of SD.
I have had many many very good students over the years. With that said, I have also had many students that have no regard for others, no regard for rules and no regard for other students on the bus. This presents a problem. When ever I have to divert my attention from the road to correct a student’s behavior, it becomes a safety issue for all involved! If the parents of those trouble making children only knew how their child was behaving or the safety issues they were causing, would they do anything about it? I would guess that some parents would be concerned about the safety factor. Others, might not. It all goes back to that much heard quote, “my child would not do that”! Well I beg to differ on that quote! So, my question to all of you is, “why can there not be a grading system for the students riding the buses that would have much to do with their passing the grade they are in”? We should all be concerned about the safety of all the children and deal with the fact that some children put others in jeopardy because of their actions. Riding a school bus should be simply an extension of the class room. If it is not permitted in the class room, it should not be permitted on the bus. I ask for your input and or suggestions. Thank you.

[Chris19]

The parents should take more responsbility for their kids. In general, there is a lack of discipline by the parents and the school system for inappropriate behavior by kids. I do not expect discipline on the lines of an army bootcamp, but discipline to instill the values of understanding, respect, self-control, consideration, honor, diligence, and honesty. The parents who deny that their kids did not do anything wrong, when in fact that the kids have done wrong, are doing their kids a disservice and are slacking off on their duty to teach respect along with right and wrong to the kids. I can understand where you are coming from sdgoldpanner and your viewpoint is logical and reasonable in my books.

I was not perfect as a kid on the bus but knew that the bus driver should be respected. I find the misbehaving kids in the stores and some parents' too-relaxed attitude very annoying.

[ElkHunter]

Here in Sheridan, the rule is, if a child misbehaves on the bus, he/she is verbally warned once. If he/she continues, the bus makes a u-turn and heads back to the school. Even if the bus is only a block from dropping off the child, the driver makes a u-turn and goes back to the school. On the way, the driver calls dispatch on the radio, dispatch notifies the school and either the Principal or the Vice meets the bus and escorts the child off. The bus continues on. The administration contacts the parents and requires them to come and pick up their child. On the third offense, the parents find an alternate mode of delivering the child to school, cause they are not riding the bus any more for a while.

Works pretty good here.

I don't know if I'd agree with it being part of their grade though. Could you imagine trying to getting turned down for a college because your school transcripts said, "Does not get along well with others while on the bus."

[DannyBanany]

That seems like a great plan ElkHunter. Hopefully we adopt that.

[ElkHunter]

What it does is place all the responsibility with the school. As it should be. Like mentioned before, the bus is an intregal part of the school. But this gives it a single focal point. Works pretty good as long as the driver holds it together. By that I mean, you have an unrully kid and you know you can drop him off in 1 block, or drive 4 miles back to the school. So far, most of the drivers have done it right. The ones that don't, regret it later.

[MJ1986]

When I road the bus, they had cameras installed on the buses. And they really did work, (at the time, we thought they were fake), but because of the cameras some kids were disciplined...stuff they caught on tape.

[yamahastar]

I have noticed, I beleive, that at Ellsworth AFB they have school bus monitors that ride every bus with the intent on monitoring all children's behavior. Of course, this would call for a salary for these positions. Just a thought.

[Rock Hunter 24/7]

Cameras are great on buses! Mine is equipped with such and I have used the results to help dicipline the trouble children, however, I only have 2 schools in which the principals have the "gazongas" to believe in discipline. The rest of them have a feeling that it is too much trouble for them to to take time to dish out dicipline. Once the children are gone from the school, they are out of the principles hair, so to speak. It can be compared to one doctor ratting out another doctor, it wont happen, at least in Rapid City. The same for school administration, one principle is not going to find fault with another principals action or lack of it. It is almost like "if I rat him out, my toes may get stepped on, so it is not worth it. Agreed, that is some poor administrative action, but that is the way it is! I know for a fact, if I rat on a principal, my job is gone! It has happened before with drivers I know. So in the end, I am stuck between a rock and a hard spot. That is the biggest reason I would like to see bus riding converted to a grade earned just as if it was a class. Good school behavior should not stop just because the bell rings, it should stop when the child gets off the bus!