Jackson district dealing with bullies

The world is full of them -- from barroom brawlers to Saddam Hussein -- so it shouldn't surprise anyone to learn that there are a few bullies sitting in the seats on school buses. Recently, there have been some complaints about bullies on buses in the Jackson School District, but every school district with school buses has its share of this problem.

Mostly, it's verbal abuse. But there have been fistfights. Some students reportedly carry knives. For a time last year, one Jackson child was too scared to even get on a school bus, according to his mother.

Naturally, parents are concerned.

Rightfully so. Bullying may be more prevalent than anyone -- parents or school administrators -- realizes. In 2001, 16 percent of American school children said they were currently the victim of a bully, according to a nationwide study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

It's tempting to dismiss the acts as typical adolescent behavior until we remember the national tragedies at Columbine High School in Colorado and Santana High School near San Diego. These were the acts of students hurting other students, which is the textbook definition of bullying.

That's why Jackson parents and students should feel fortunate that the school district isn't ignoring the problem. In fact, the district has done a great deal to alleviate problems on school buses.

The district has installed video cameras on every bus. That way the tapes can be reviewed when problems occur to determine exactly what happened and who was involved.

Bus drivers naturally have a lot of responsibility in monitoring students. Students say they are admonished, either by a quick shout or over an intercom system. Some even creatively discipline children by making them write things like "I love my bus driver" 50 times.

Tackling the problem isn't easy. The Jackson School District has the largest bus route in Southeast Missouri, covering 280 square miles with 62 buses. Jackson transportation director Carol Woods admits there are times when something is missed. But with the video cameras, it's probably not too much.

Parents should take comfort that children are being carefully watched and that Jackson school administrators aren't turning a blind eye.

As one student put it, "The bus is always fun, but the rules are so strict that sometimes we get in trouble."

And that is as it should be.