I am not a writer and not as educated as the persons employed by the Education Department, but I care for the children, their safety and well being. I need to speak for them as it seems the child’s voice has been lost in the power struggle.
It seems to me to be all about egos and nothing to do with the safety of the children.
I have the power and I will use that power.
It seems that the spokesperson for the department and the school came with their own agenda and closed minds. It was the children are rude and only the children from the EAST are rude and disruptive, they destroy the seats and the other children from the West and on the other buses do nothing. They labeled all the children and these are the same persons who want a child to trust them. You have labeled all so who do you expect to come and speak with you.
“Ratting” was the word of the evening and the phase was “A Culture of Silence”.
Not because you have been given a title does that mean you automatically will receive respect and a child or parent would put their trust in you, it is something you gain. You want them to speak out and say who is misbehaving on the bus and yet you punish the innocent for the guilty without concern for their safety. Too may have fallen for that “trust me” and been hurt, as confidentiality is nonexistent in the school. That is why I did not feel comfortable expressing my view in that setting, it seems just last minute not organized, considering you called the meeting.
I will mention some of my concerns raised and some of my concerns I have, I am not quoting anyone but I feel those who could not make it to the meeting due to work commitments, illness or no vehicle to get to the meeting should know some of what was said.
. While the suspension is in place and the children have to walk or hitch a ride to school will they be marked late on the register, if they don’t arrive on time?
. Why it is the bus driver’s word is gospel and the children are automatically in the wrong?
. Was an investigation carried out concerning something the children said the bus driver was doing daily, what and how was this done?
. You want them to talk on each other but then silence them when they speak out about an adult?
. Several parents said they could not swear for their children’s behavior on the bus but felt putting children off the bus by the side of the road was putting the children at risk.
. The children are responsible for their behavior and the bus driver also has a responsibility for his.
. If they do not talk that makes them guilty? I think they are protecting themselves.
. If a fight happens on the bus, the driver should call the police. When the police comes and removes those fighting the driver should carry the rest of the children home.
. If the children are being disruptive and the driver has no control he should return them to the school.
The staff at the school should then call all parents and inform them that they have to collect their children from the school. (Example given the department and the school: bus driver put children off the bus in Little Dix area). Or names taken and reported to the persons in charge next day and parent called.
. Several parents said their children had medical conditions and when the children were put off the bus and they had to walk they suffered next day due to aggravating these illnesses. No answer was given.
. A Parent suggested cameras on the bus so the department could get have proof of what was happening on the bus and they would put money towards getting them. They also said other parent may put money towards it as well if the department paid some. This was met with little enthusiasm from the school or department.
. The government has provided the bus service for all children, safety procedures should be in place.
. When the children are put off the bus and some harm comes to them is the government responsible?
The answer was yes.
. A parent suggested that the bus drivers should be rotated on week the West, then one week the East.
Education department rep said they could not make that decision right now.
. You ask the children to dress correctly and you employ a driver who wears rubber boots and his shirt open to the waist.
The suspension will not be cancelled until a meeting is held with the CEO. Today is February 8th 2012 our children will be walking the road into the better part of the next week. And what have they learned?
What is the lesson being taught by the educators the innocent will suffer for the guilty? Punishment is used as a tool to make you talk? Your suffering is not my problem? Power is mine and you have no voice?
“A Culture of Silence” is one that you the educators are breeding as it taught from a very young age in the schools speak out but I will assume you are lying before I look into the matter and if you continue to say you are innocent or your recollection of events does not match that of mine you will be punished.
If a child speaks out what do they gain: The Fear that a teacher may drop his name by accident in the presents of his peers? The privilege of sitting on the bus – which all the other children from the areas already have?
The speakers said many times in the meeting the safety of the children but I felt no sincerity in what was being said. It can across as ‘I have the stick and I will beat you with it’. I left the meeting feeling the children have no voice and as a parent I have less.
So to you all Hurting Teachers, Hurting Parents now we have Hurting Children with no voice.
A Parent – I request that you give your reply to Tr. Emma in writing; she is there for the children.
