LETTERS: GIVE SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS PAT ON BACK

To the editor:

As we enjoy watching the leaves change from green to bright colors during the fall of the year, our attention is also drawn to one of the brightest colored vehicles on the road. The week of Oct. 18-24 was School Bus Safety Week. The Jackson School District buses traveled nearly one-half million miles last year. As parents and grandparents, we all recognize the challenge of maneuvering a vehicle safely down the road in all kinds of weather while a couple of kids argue about who is on whose side of the seat in the back. Imagine safely steering a long school bus down the road with all kinds of road conditions with 84 valuable (yet immature) passengers behind you. I am convinced that God has a special reward for school bus drivers.

It is every driver's belief that he or she has been entrusted with our most valuable possession: our children. Drivers take this responsibility seriously, and it is their desire to do anything they can to ensure the safest environment possible. In the classroom setting, teachers can devote the attention necessary to maintain order during the class period. If a student misbehaves and takes the teacher's attention away from the lesson, valuable time is lost. Our bus drivers must devote much of their attention to traffic and road conditions, as well as to the behavior of the children on the bus. If a student's behavior distracts the driver, much more than time is at stake. Both life and property are at risk when the driver's eyes are drawn to misbehaving students rather than the road. Many years ago, this superintendent experienced firsthand the pain of receiving the report of a child killed in offloading a bus. The cause of this tragedy was persistent misbehavior of a few children on the bus. I don't ever want to receive that kind of call again, and I'm sure none of you do either.

If you are a parent, I am writing to you to ask for your assistance in daily reminding your child that proper behavior on the bus is really important. Our children should be able to remain in their seats, keep the volume of their talking to a reasonable level and generally follow bus rules. Please reinforce the old phrase we often heard when we were children: "If you get in trouble at school (or on the bus), you will be in trouble at home." We need to work together to ensure the safety of all children.

Sometimes children do not follow the rules and are denied the privilege of riding the bus. We realize this creates an inconvenience for parents. We also realize our options are limited. It is important that we address behavior problems with strong action, and we will do so. Thank you for your continued support on the home front. It is our opinion that one of the most important lessons children learn at school in preparation for a successful life as adults is respect for rules and authority. We want to do our part in preparing our children for life, and we know we can be successful if we work together in setting high expectations.

I encourage you, as parents and community members, to let a bus driver know you appreciate his or her efforts. Thank you in advance for your help in recognizing School Bus Safety Week with your support, your care when driving near bus stops and in your expressions of gratitude to our bus drivers.

HOWARD JONES, Superintendent

Jackson School District

Jackson