How safe are your kids on the school bus home....

I'm also not really understanding how a bus driver could be responsible for knowing each individual child, where they live, where all they are allowed to get off the bus, and under what circumstances. I didn't take the bus in elementary school, so there may be a plan in place for this, but it sounds cumbersome. It seems like there would need to be a checklist, a sign in/sign out at each stop, etc. Are the drivers expected to know the details about each child on the first day of school? Is it the same driver each day? What if they call in sick? What if arrangements have been made ahead of time for them to go to a friend's house?

I'm sure the panic and anger you felt were intense, and I can't imagine my kids not being where I thought they were and not knowing how to find them. But, it seems like this is possibly more of a lesson for the child than the bus company. I didn't take the bus at age 8, but my mom did pick me up from school and nothing would have stopped me from getting in a stranger's car (or a friend's parent's car) other than that I knew what the rules were and I knew to not do that. Your child needs to understand that getting off the bus at a random location can be dangerous and is not permitted. If his friends want to play, he needs to come home and ask. If he is lost or can't remember where to get off, he needs to ask for help.

Can you imagine having to keep up with every single child, their parents' first choice plan, a backup plan for if the parent isn't where they are supposed to be at pickup time, maybe an alternate plan to account for shared custody (drop her off with dad on Mondays and Tuesdays, mom on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at grandparents on Fridays), and a different plan if the child has after school activities or plans with friends? For each child on the bus? And then being threatened with a lawsuit for not remembering each child's plan correctly even when it is the child themselves who leaves the bus? It's a wonder anyone would ever show up to work that job.

Sincerely glad he's safe and okay. I would also be having a serious talk with the mom he was with. If my child shows up unannounced and alone at a neighbor's house, I expect a call before 45 minutes have gone by and 3 search parties have been sent out.

originally posted by: stosh64
a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Just curious, did your kid face any repercussions or did you only blame the bus company?

I know my son would have done that 1 time and not repeated the mistake.

Yes he has been somewhat lambasted, I've made him repeat over and over what to do, he won't do that again. He's a good kid, he just freaked out.

a reply to: Weagle

That's the whole duty of care thing, it's a school bus not a public bus, the bus company is contracted to take the children to and from school. As I've mentioned were out in the country, there are dangerous roads and big distances between drops, the combination of a new bus driver, he's only been on the job 2 months it takes a while to get to know all the kids, the driver knew the back up plan was the shop so did the manager, the bus being so late because of roadworks, me not being at the usual stop all played a role in this happening.

The mother of the other kids actually drove my boy home but I wasn't there I was waiting at the bus stop, she tried to ring a bunch of times, unfortunately down at the bottom of the valley theres no phone reception so it took a while for a message to come through on the phone . Anyhow from now on the shop is the drop off point, only a verbal conformation from myself to the bus driver will allow the boy to get off anywhere else.

a reply to: Macenroe82

Thanks for sharing that story, and ah yes the good old days where corporal punishment was still acceptable, my mother used to hit me with the wooden spoon as well, and the boarding master at the school I went to had a big old leather slipper he used to whack us with, and don't forget the big wooden chalk duster the teachers would throw during class, how times have changed.

Way back in my days of riding the bus a million years ago, you could not get off the bus at any stop but your own assigned stop unless you had a signed note from your parents indicating they were aware of it and were ok with that. Ditto for getting onto a bus that was not your regular bus, ie to go to a friends house with them after school, etc.

That was enforced pretty rigorously and the bus drivers didn't let the kids get away with the garbage they get away with now.

What a scary experience for you. That nonsense about them being unable to stop the child from getting off wherever they want is ridiculous. Who exactly is in charge? The children, or the bus/school system adults? Again... nonsense.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Is the school far away then? Most British kids walk to school.
I feel for you as a parent though must have been scary.

a reply to: Subrosabelow

I was in shock when the manager of the bus company basically told me my child was responsible for himself, ridiculous indeed.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

It's about 15 miles to his school, so the bus is a necessary evil, I can deal with the bullies and other crap associated with him catching the bus but I draw the line at not knowing where he is.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Don't you think he should be responsible?
8 years old getting off at the wrong stop wtf?
My son was may more streetwise aged 8.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Yes he should be more responsible, all kids grow and learn at different rates, I'm not sure critical thinking has kicked in yet