Do you allow you kids to ride a school bus? - Page 3

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by chickabiddy

Kids are eight times safer in a big yellow bus.

Only from being injured in a car accident.

Not from being left at the wrong stop.

Not from being bullied.

Not from being sexually molested by the driver.

I'm glad there are options for those whose children need to get to school, and whose parents cannot walk or drive them, but I do not want my children riding in a school bus without me.

[De-lovely]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

Only from being injured in a car accident.

Not from being left at the wrong stop.

Not from being bullied.

Not from being sexually molested by the driver.

I'm glad there are options for those whose children need to get to school, and whose parents cannot walk or drive them, but I do not want my children riding in a school bus without me.

I so agree with you....I do not at all believe that school buses are not safe in relation to actual accidents. My little Emma starts kindergarten this year and her dad and I have made arrangements that she will never have to ride the bus and always be picked up by myself or him. I would quit my job before I would let her ride the bus at age 5.5.

[ABmom]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

Only from being injured in a car accident.

Not from being left at the wrong stop.

Not from being bullied.

Not from being sexually molested by the driver.

I'm glad there are options for those whose children need to get to school, and whose parents cannot walk or drive them, but I do not want my children riding in a school bus without me.

I agree. As the OP stated with regards to young school children, I would not let mine take the school bus on a daily basis. School field trips would be fine as long as there is an extra adult on the bus as well.

I took the school bus when I was young and it was one experience I do not want dd or ds to experience first hand. There was just too much abuse & bullying from some of the students. And of course everyone knows that if a girl sat in the last few rows then she is fair game for some unsolicited touching.

[Amylcd]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

Only from being injured in a car accident.

Not from being left at the wrong stop. - A child 5 and up should know not to get off the bus at the wrong house. Lets give our children more credit.

Not from being bullied. - I'm sure this happens much more often at school than on a bus, if you want to keep your child safe from bullies, do not send them to school at all.

Not from being sexually molested by the driver. - Again, just as likely to happen at school by a teacher. Actually, MORE likely, as the teachers have more time and opportunities to be alone with the child.

I'm glad there are options for those whose children need to get to school, and whose parents cannot walk or drive them, but I do not want my children riding in a school bus without me.

My comments in red. I'm shocked that so many people are this paranoid about school buses.

[Brisen]

I'm sure this happens much more often at school than on a bus, if you want to keep your child safe from bullies, do not send them to school at all.

In my experience, far more bullying happened on the bus than at school. Teachers aren't trying to drive while supervising children, so they can devote more attention to behaviour. In my case, there was more "free" time on the bus than at school, so there was more time for bullying to happen.

[rachelsmama]

Originally Posted by Amylcd

Not from being bullied. - I'm sure this happens much more often at school than on a bus, if you want to keep your child safe from bullies, do not send them to school at all.

From personal experience I can say it DOES happen a lot on the schooolbus, and because you're stuck on a schoolbus there's no place to go to get away from it. From what I remember, there was a degree of viciousness on the schoolbus that wasn't present at school.

[mommy2two babes]

Originally Posted by RiverSky

Only from being injured in a car accident.

Not from being left at the wrong stop.

Not from being bullied.

Not from being sexually molested by the driver. -


I'm glad there are options for those whose children need to get to school, and whose parents cannot walk or drive them, but I do not want my children riding in a school bus without me.

Originally Posted by Amylcd

My comments in red. I'm shocked that so many people are this paranoid about school buses.

I wanted to say that being molested by a dirver on a school bus full of other kids is probably alot more unlikely than it happening at the hands of another child on the bus. When I was in elementary school and still to this day busses are shared by JK - grade12 students. There is no way that a single bus driver even an amasing one could adequetly supervise all those kids of different ages on a bus of the size.
I know that I and some others had issues with the HS students on the bus.

[KirstenMary]

Originally Posted by Amylcd

My comments in red. I'm shocked that so many people are this paranoid about school buses.

I agree with this, especially the sexual molestation part.

[samikashi]

We generally have zero interest in others being responsible for the well-being of our child, so we'd probably not allow a ride on the schoolbus.

[SandraS]

Originally Posted by Amylcd

My comments in red. I'm shocked that so many people are this paranoid about school buses.

I agree.

Uncle Bob is the one that is going to molest your child, not a teacher or a bus driver.

I think some parents do a disservice to their children hovering so much that their children do not have an opportunity to experience life. Busses are safe. Playing outside is safe. Teachers are safe.

To live your life looking up, waiting for the airplane to hit your roof, is not LIVING. Don't suffocate your children the same way. Don't teach them to fear strangers - because strangers are the good guys. The world needs more people saying "hello" to strangers.

It's called "calculated risk". I take the 1 in 50 million risk of salmonella by letting my children lick the beaters. Why? Because they are in more harm walking across the kitchen floor than getting sick from raw eggs. And they get to participate in what I consider a rite of childhood, that I won't deny them. I won't stifle their exploration, learning, experience, and maturity.

FWIW, the world is as safe today as it was when I was growing up in the 70's. But you can thank 24 hour news and shows like Without A Trace for blurring the line between reality and fiction. It's just NOT DANGEROUS out there.

JMO, of course.

[choli]

Originally Posted by SandraS

I agree.

Uncle Bob is the one that is going to molest your child, not a teacher or a bus driver.

I think some parents do a disservice to their children hovering so much that their children do not have an opportunity to experience life. Busses are safe. Playing outside is safe. Teachers are safe.

To live your life looking up, waiting for the airplane to hit your roof, is not LIVING. Don't suffocate your children the same way. Don't teach them to fear strangers - because strangers are the good guys. The world needs more people saying "hello" to strangers.

It's called "calculated risk". I take the 1 in 50 million risk of salmonella by letting my children lick the beaters. Why? Because they are in more harm walking across the kitchen floor than getting sick from raw eggs. And they get to participate in what I consider a rite of childhood, that I won't deny them. I won't stifle their exploration, learning, experience, and maturity.

FWIW, the world is as safe today as it was when I was growing up in the 70's. But you can thank 24 hour news and shows like Without A Trace for blurring the line between reality and fiction. It's just NOT DANGEROUS out there.

JMO, of course.

100% agree.:

[mommy2two babes]

Originally Posted by samikashi

We generally have zero interest in others being responsible for the well-being of our child, so we'd probably not allow a ride on the schoolbus.

I think this perfectly sums up the way that I feel. The same reason I have not left my kids with a babysitter other than a few very select family members.

[chickabiddy]

I've been digging through notes from my school bus technical training:

* Buses provide 8.8 billion student trips annually: an average of 6 children died as school bus passengers each year.

* Between 1996-2006, approximately 79 pedestrians age 5-7 died in school transportation-related crashes, and approximately 3 children aged 5-7 died on a school bus in a transportation-related crash.

* The fatality rate for school buses is only 0.2 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) compared to 1.5 fatalities per 100 million VMT for cars

It is, of course, a parent's decision to transport her child as she pleases -- but far fewer kids die on school busses than in cars or on sidewalks. This is not a value judgement: it is a fact.

[Llyra]

Originally Posted by SandraS

I agree.

Uncle Bob is the one that is going to molest your child, not a teacher or a bus driver.

I think some parents do a disservice to their children hovering so much that their children do not have an opportunity to experience life. Busses are safe. Playing outside is safe. Teachers are safe.

To live your life looking up, waiting for the airplane to hit your roof, is not LIVING. Don't suffocate your children the same way. Don't teach them to fear strangers - because strangers are the good guys. The world needs more people saying "hello" to strangers.

It's called "calculated risk". I take the 1 in 50 million risk of salmonella by letting my children lick the beaters. Why? Because they are in more harm walking across the kitchen floor than getting sick from raw eggs. And they get to participate in what I consider a rite of childhood, that I won't deny them. I won't stifle their exploration, learning, experience, and maturity.

FWIW, the world is as safe today as it was when I was growing up in the 70's. But you can thank 24 hour news and shows like Without A Trace for blurring the line between reality and fiction. It's just NOT DANGEROUS out there.

JMO, of course.

This is my point of view, exactly. My DD1 will start public kindy in the fall, and she will ride the bus. And I am entirely comfortable with that decision. In fact, I think the experience will be really good for her.

[Brisen]

Originally Posted by mommy2two babes

I wanted to say that being molested by a dirver on a school bus full of other kids is probably alot more unlikely than it happening at the hands of another child on the bus. When I was in elementary school and still to this day busses are shared by JK - grade12 students. There is no way that a single bus driver even an amasing one could adequetly supervise all those kids of different ages on a bus of the size.
I know that I and some others had issues with the HS students on the bus.

: Although I was on a K-8 bus. There was a lot of sexual harassment, though it was usually not very far across grade lines -- usually the attacker was only 1-3 grade levels higher, or in the same grade.

[RunnerDuck]

There are bullies on school busses... but if you're bullied don't you just change seats? When I was a kid, the cool kids sat in back. The dorks had to seat in the front or the cool kids would harass them. But as long as they respected the seating heirarchy, peace prevailed.

I thought riding the bus was AWESOME. I didn't get to ride the bus in high school and I was sad. I rode it k-8, though.

All these fear of lecherous drug-addled bus drives make me think people are watching too much Simpsons... All the bus drivers I ever remember were either boring and silent, but competent... or cool and funny... and competent.

Oh... we had one who got us lost once. I was in the gifted program and we would go to another school on those days... we all had Algebra when we got back to our regular school and most kids would scramble to do their home work on the bus on the way back. But one week we had a substitute bus driver who didn't know the way. We tried telling her (I think it was a her) but she was convinced we were trying to lead her off the path... well one by one kids started realizing we weren't going to back for algebra and started to put their books away. We got back something like 45 minutes after school was over and everyone missed their regular bus.

Of course WE all thought it was great fun. Our parents, not so much...

[PPK]

My mom has been a bus aide for about 20 years (special needs and elementary), and I know that they never go without an aide. There has to be that second person to cross the kids, wait with them for their parents, and to monitor the kids. I know that's a challenge with a full busload, and of course things coud aways happen, but seriously, for the lower grades, I know that in our city there's always a bus aide present. Upper grades, I'm not so sure. I know in HS we didn't have one, don't know about MS.

I don't think its unsafe at all!

[mommy2two babes]

Originally Posted by Brisen

: Although I was on a K-8 bus. There was a lot of sexual harassment, though it was usually not very far across grade lines -- usually the attacker was only 1-3 grade levels higher, or in the same grade.

Yes this is exactly what I mean. We were in gr 7-8 and some of the HS boys thought it was great fun to make suggestive comments and such.

Originally Posted by PPK

My mom has been a bus aide for about 20 years (special needs and elementary), and I know that they never go without an aide. There has to be that second person to cross the kids, wait with them for their parents, and to monitor the kids. I know that's a challenge with a full busload, and of course things coud aways happen, but seriously, for the lower grades, I know that in our city there's always a bus aide present. Upper grades, I'm not so sure. I know in HS we didn't have one, don't know about MS.

I don't think its unsafe at all!

Wow, I think that is a great idea. We don't have those here. The only time I can see someone else on the bus would be if you had a SN child on the bus for a class trip and that childs specific helper might come.

[ABmom]

I think that it all boils down to WHAT type of experience you had riding a school bus while young will determine your comfort level of letting your child ride the bus.

I don't think anyone is questioning the safety of school buses or the competency of the drivers in general. However there are the odd times where a bad driver or a tragic accident involving the school bus will make some parents avoid the school bus altogether.

I admit that I had some fun and great memories riding the bus while in grade 7-9 but there were also some bullying and sexual harassment and unsolicited touching by a few students to the other riders. I was witness to these things because unfortunately one of the bullies/abusers was a friend of mine. Hindsight, I should have said something but I wanted to be one of the "cool" kids.

I did managed to grow up though as I asked my parents to allow me to take the public bus instead for my high school years.

Like pp mentioned, there's no place to escape when you're on the bus. You either bear it or you don't take the bus. Some kids are just mean and cruel. Until I know that dd and ds can defend themselves, I will protect them from all possible eventualities. BTW, I don't hover but I do keep an eye on them.

[JD5351]

I think it depends on the school district, their hiring policies, the area, etc.

Almost my whole bus was kids from my neighborhood, I think there were maybe 5 other kids that were on the bus when we got picked up, and we filled the bus. I had the same driver from 5th grade to 11th grade when I started driving. I still see her in town, either at the local Amish restaurant, or when I go and vote-she volunteers. When I was in cosmetology school, she used to come in and let me cut and color her hair. lol We all loved her..Even the "bad" kids respected her and her rules. We had assigned seats that she picked based on our ages, and she always made sure to separate anyone who couldn't behave near eachother. I remember when they put the cameras on the busses and we all would wave to the box when we came on the bus and off the bus. LOL

For field trips/football games, etc It was the same drivers who drove the kids to school, and they all had been around for years.

The town I live in now, is a lot bigger, and I'm not sure the drivers would be as personal or as caring as what I grew up with. But the schools are incredibly close to me and I could walk or a quick drive to all of them. Hopefully though, by the time my kiddo is ready for school, I can move back to my old town and he can go there.