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Submitted by anjil29920 on Fri, 2006-09-15 16:13.
The bus service for our children sucks! For the second time in 3 weeks my child we be home 75 minutes late. Why?
Well I was told by the school who called me at about 4:20
that the substitute bus driver just forgot to pick up the kids. What the hell is wrong with this company. I have talked to several other parents whom also have a variety of problems with the buses. My child participates in extracuricular activities, which thank goodness have not been effected...yet. I just might go to the next school board meeting at let them know personally about this problem. Calling First Student has never been an option, they give you lame answers and act like it's not their problem. If anyone would like to join me then lets go!
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I totally agree that first student needs to go. My daughter's bus driver refuses to pick up white children unless they are at a stop with other kids. I watched the bus pass her up more than once and stood with her one time, and only then did she stop, but only to try to "put me in my place". I did call the bus company, just to have them give me the usual run around of how there was no superviser there, EVERY SINGLE TIME, and they would call me back. Big surprise, that never happened. I think my next step will be certified mail with a cc to a few other places to get my point across that NO racism should be tolerated NO MATTER WHAT!
momof4- your comments that the "bus driver refuses to pick up white children" Is this a fact? If this is a fact, please dont "think" about the next step- take it!
Racism or not- this smells of a strong legal issues!! ANY CHILD- and I repeat- ANY CHILD who is left on the side of the road, at an assigned bus stop and is passed by for what ever reason, has rights!
I highly recommend you take out that video camera and tape that bus passing your child. And I highly recommend you seek exposure OUTSIDE of this area!!
I am finding there are NO investigative reports who want to expose the truth in this area.
Beaufort wake up. Pictures and video speak louder than words!!
I am finding there are NO investigative reports who want to expose the truth in this area.
There is a larger collective nature to this one. Yes, investigative reporters do seem to fit into one niche of your social secrecy scenario. At the same time just about every other Tom, Dick, Harry, Sue, Jane, and Julia having a variety of "say so" in nearly every organizational 'dysfunction' in the county should also be included.
Indeed, the potential reporter is wise to this matter. If he/she began to write openly, they would quickly be herded out of the area. As it is, the local reporter's backbone, i.e., the BG, does a good job of attempting to allow the BG Blogs to grind away at dispelling the loads of BS that is often fed to the local populace by idiots residing on little totem poles.
In the end, it's all a fricking joke! Nothing more than life's banister with a few little butt splinters exposed. Time for another Mai Tai!
What makes you think it's because your child is white? Is it possible that where the other children are is the actual DESIGNATED stop? I agree that NO racism should be tolerated, and while I KNOW that racism is still a VERY real problem in this country, I also believe that some people (black AND white) scream racism before having all the facts and without seeing all the sides. So, I'm not attacking you momof4, just would like to know why you think race is a factor.
I don't know why you feel that this is a race issue if your child was not at the bus stop. Does your childs stop have more children from one background than yours? Does the bus stop at a place not on the schedule for children other than yours? One might assume that if you lived on a very busy road that your child could be in danger of being hit by a car if they were not picked up after missing the bus at the stop. However when was the last time you had to drive in the heavy morning traffic behind a bus that stopped to pick up a child that missed the bus? This is safety issue for all the children on the bus when the driver has to make a quick stop and hope that the cars sharing the road stop as well. Your solution is simple. Walk your child to the bus stop ten minutes before the time it is supposed to be there and wait with them until it arrives. As for the rest of us that have a real reason to complain I think its about time for the lot of us to invaid a board meeting as a group. We put them their and they have a hand in the hiring of the bus company. Any-one know when the next meeting is? I bet their children aren't bus riders or we wouldn't have the issues we have.
As a teacher, I wholeheartedly agree. We have been experiencing problems ever since school started. The problems include the busses arriving early and kids not getting picked up, busses arriving late and kids getting to school late, busses not showing up on-time at the end of the day, etc. I've never seen such a poor bus service. I gave the benefit of a doubt the first two weeks of school, thinking that they would work out the bugs, but nothing seems to be changing.
Hire a local private investigator to follow them and record their stops on video, as well as run the background checks on the employees. Nothing like a boatload of videographic evidence and poor backgrounds to take to a school board meeting!
apiInvestigates@aol.com (E-mail for API Investigations)
doublej
However I, myself, along with numerous others have called and complained . Nothing has been done to correct the problems that I know of. We have been blown off and given lip service. It was not the bus drivers who did this, it was the people who work in the office. So if the drivers are nitwits and it seems that the people running the office and the buses are also nitwits, Then there is something wrong with the company for hiring so many nitwits
And this is why I personally drive my child to and from school every day. While I know some parents don't have that option, maybe you can ban together and car pool the neighbor kids to school. That would get First Student's attention when suddenly there are no kids out at the bus stop.
If I could I would. My child is out of district. It would cost me $60 a week to drive her. THere are only 2 other children in the area that also go to the same school. So car pool is pretty much out for me. Besides, Our taxes pay for these buses, I should not have to spend more money getting my child to school. They need to shape up or ship out.
I am definitely not trying to jump on any bandwagon. I just think it's funny that we hardly hear about ALL the children that have troubles with bus drivers. I didn't think anything about the race thing until my daughter told me it is ALL the white children on the bus this is happening to. I haven't even touched the issue of this "woman" yelling at my daughter because I forced her to pick her up, and all the daily comments she makes to her. As for the traffic, there is not much oncoming traffic onto my street, its mainly outgoing, but because the street is not a main road, people tend to drive in excess speeds of 50+, with no regard to children. I could care less if a bus hinders someone from speeding, that would, in fact, be a good thing. And to the comment of the actual designated stop, YES it is the designated stop, has been, still is for the other two buses that come down this street. It would be nice to drive my children to and from school every day, but since I have 4 children in three different schools that all start and end at different times, it would be pretty costly. I have crammed my own and neighborhood children in my car and drove them to school in the heavy morning traffic because of substitute drivers not knowing just where to go and missing our street entirely. If people have no patience for children being picked up on their way to school, perhaps they should leave their houses just a little bit earlier. There is not always an option for carpooling, as most parents don't have the money to afford all the driving to and from school. Why should we have to spend even more money when we pay for these bus services in the first place?
Momof4, IF race truly is an issue or you truly think it is (and I say that because I'm not involved and don't know) I have to ask, what have you done? I really hope your answer is not that you haven't done anything. Racism in any form is WRONG and should be confronted and dealt with. I'm sure no company would take such accusations lightly. I agree with whoever said that you need to get some documented proof and do something about it.
If some adult bus driver was making comments to my child on a daily basis she/he would not be riding the bus. I understand that you have 4 children that go to school in different directions but I would not put my child on a bus were somebody is making comments to them. I know children are very sensitive and being "picked on" hurts, it doesn't matter if the bully is an adult or child.
Yes, it is ridiculous for an adult to be snide and make stupid comments to a child, but I have taught my children to take the high road and be the bigger person, even if the immature one is an adult. My daughter knows that some people are too ignorant to compose themselves in a manner that is appropriate .
If I could I would. My child is out of district. It would cost me $60 a week to drive her. THere are only 2 other children in the area that also go to the same school. So car pool is pretty much out for me. Besides, Our taxes pay for these buses, I should not have to spend more money getting my child to school. They need to shape up or ship out.
Just so you know... I don't think the school district is obligated to provide transportation to students who are out of zone - or who live within a certain distance from the school. Quite a bit of $$ is spent by this district trying to accomodate students who should be walking or whose parents should be driving them. I'm not trying to defend the actions of First Student or anything else regarding this school district, just trying to pass along some info. It's good to know the facts, especially before one complains about a service that is essentially a "gift".
Yes, they are required to provide transportation for my child. She is out of district based on title I. I chose to move her because of how poor the school in our attendance area is. BCSD provided me with the option to do so. I felt that I owed my daughter the best education I could give her. You need to make sure you know the facts.
My children were Title one (til the school brought themselves up just enough)and at the time they were in that catagory they did have to provide a bus for the children whose parents were caring enough to opt for that choice. My kids are still out of district and I pay for them to attend the school by cab because I don't have a car. MY CHOICE!!! For the better education that they get at the school they are in. Not that the school has any objection mind you due to their outstanding pact scores and the assets that they bring to the school as a whole. I have teachers and parents alike that help when they can to get my kids to and from school. It is still the Districts obligation to give the kids under Title I FREE transportation to the school the parents choose. Read up a little bit on it and you will know!
out of attendance zone. Out of district is another can of worms.
How so?? Title I refers to the number of kids receiving free or reduced lunch at a given school. Could you be referring to the School of Choice provision in the No Child Left Behind Act? You are entitled to this priveledge because of NCLB. See below:
"If a child attends a Title I school that has been designated by the state to be in need of improvement or unsafe, parents can choose to send the child to another public school. Districts must let parents know each year if their child is eligible to transfer to another school, and districts must give parents at least two transfer schools to choose from. Additionally districts must pay for students' transportation costs, giving priority to low-income, low-achieving students if there are not enough funds available to pay for all students."
You have this option because NCLB provides for it (you can thank GW for that) AND you happen to live in the zone of a Title I school - not just because your school is Title I. Make Sense?
Anyway, in my earlier post I was just trying to pass along some info. I wasn't trying to bust your chops specifically for any reason. My apologies if you misunderstood.
Title 1 also has requirements of the school. If you fail to meet those requirements (AYP) you are put on the improvement list and the parents can choose another school. So therefore it is based on Title 1. When you fill out the application to move your child based on this, you check the box for Title 1. It is all collectively under the no child left behind act.
...then C is true. You have the right to switch schools (C) because A is true (you are in zone for a Title I school, and B is true (NCLB allows it) It's because of "B" that the option exists however.
Anyway, my initial point still holds true (different subject which doesn't seem to even apply to Anjil): BCSD DOES spend a lot of $$ providing transportation to students that are out of zone or live too close to their schools. Now, whether one approves of that or not, it is something to consider - especially IF one were inclined to complain about that transportation and not really entitled to it in the first place.
Anjil seems to qualify. My grandson goes to a school of choice. He gets NO transportation. None was expected. Who is getting a FREE ride?
All of sudden no kids at the stop? So? means less work. Exactly why would the bus company care? Getting paid to not do the work. Whats the problem there for the bus company?
nt
I encourage you to attend a BCSD Board meeting and share your dissatisfaction with First Student. Please allow me to forewarn you of what will take place. First, you will be given 3 minutes to express your concerns. Then, while you express your carefully written and considered complaints, a couple of members will listen to your concerns while the rest stare blankly into space and others shuffle though their papers. There will be no acknowledgement of what you said
except for a "form" letter that will be signed by Mrs.Friedman "thanking" you for your participation. End of story.It's a shame, but it will all end there.
So true, so true! Also, has anyone noticed all the coverage on the news about how crappy of a job First Student is doing in Savannah. Did you notice how "stupid" the employees of the bus company acted when confronted with the complaints and asked what actions they would take? They gave their usual runaround and didn't seem to have a lot, if any, knowledge of what was going on.
I encourage you to attend a BCSD Board meeting and share your dissatisfaction with First Student. Please allow me to forewarn you of what will take place. First, you will be given 3 minutes to express your concerns. Then, while you express your carefully written and considered complaints, a couple of members will listen to your concerns while the rest stare blankly into space and others shuffle though their papers. There will be no acknowledgement of what you said
except for a "form" letter that will be signed by Mrs.Friedman "thanking" you for your participation. End of story.It's a shame, but it will all end there.
Bravo! Bravo!
Unfortunately as it sounds, it is this group-wise dysfunctionality which likely eliminates many very capable people from ever wanting to be BCSD members.
There are *some* very fine board members who work tirelessly behind the scenes in areas the public knows nothing about. Some of those same people are very vocal in board meetings. Please don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, as the saying goes. It is their practice not to comment on public comments at the meetings, but you don't know what some members may be doing about complaints behind the scenes.
The BCSB are ELECTED. For them to be scared, ashamed, bashful, whatever the reason to NOT be doing the publics work in the publics eye is unacceptable.
We are in the mess we are in in the City of Beaufort, Town of Port Royal, Beaufort County, Beaufort County Schools, The state of SC and the US because ELECTED officials are too busy being Politicaly Correct (if there is such a thing) and shirking their duties as such.
If each of these Board Members (read ELECTED OFFICIALS) spoke publicly about all that is going on within the district, the public would be so enraged that change would occur, so please spare the bloggers the notion that there are a few working behind the scenes, all they are doing is promoting the problesm that exist within the district, they are not solving them. The old adage, Silence cedes consent is so true withing all public bodies within this county, they are all to blame as are the voters who continue playing charades with them.
Alton Aimar
Mr. Aimar, you may not be cognizant of some of the goings on, but please do not claim to know it all. I don't know everything, but I do know some things that have happened as a result. Remember a few months ago it came to light that the district grossly overpaid a company and it was claimed to be an accounting error, if I recall correctly. Well, how do you suppose that came to light? THINK! Sometimes things are better handled behind the scenes to get things done.
By the way, Beaufort Gazette, what is the status of the investigation into this "accounting error" as the chair called it.
Wouldn't it be nice if people after they are elected to office could be required to break their ties with the party that they belonged to for election, and, instead, began completely representing ALL the public under their jurisdiction until their term if office expired?
This should be a US policy from the President on down.
No more of our elected reps going to party functions for recruiting purposes, for example.
I resent Pres. Bush going to Republican functions and advocating other Republicans for public oiffice. He has enough to do just staying in the White House and doing his job according to our US Constitution. Same goes for our local reps.
Technically, board seats are non-partisan. While you're pointing out Bush's political advocating, point at all the other Senators and Congressmen who will adjourn on Sept. 29 for their "fall break" to go home and politic.
Anyone see the video @ WTOC about the bus driver from First Student, that allegedly pushed a 8 yr old student?
No, but did anyone hear about the middle school children that were on a bus that broke down and instead of calling for another bus or calling the parents, had to walk to school on Sea Island Pkwy, dropped off at a gas station where a crack head hangs out or that a high school bus has to sit 4 to a seat.