Today I was horrified by the actions of my child’s school bus driver. It takes a fairly large thing to horrify me, generally speaking, after all my son is quite the handful.
So let me preface this with the fact that up until today I rather liked the driver. A sweet, quiet woman who worked hard to drive kids that are on that bus because they are too behaviorally challenged to ride the normal bus. So basically she has like 30 of the worst behaved students in the entire school on her bus. I give the woman a CRAPLOAD of credit because she keeps her cool even when she is under loads of strain.
My son at the beginning of the year decided to be a total asshole to her and as such was challenging her every word, yelling at her, being defiant and rude… to the degree that this kind woman actually gave him a write up. A write up means that his behavior is so unacceptable that he needs to be removed from the bus. After 3 warnings the ban is permanent.
I spoke with her when my son got his write up and I was appalled at my son’s treatment of her and needless to say my son and I had a HUGE discussion about his behaviors being absolutely unacceptable and why. I set forth rules on what I expected from him every single day and set forth very clear consequences for breaking said rules. She agreed to contact me before writing him up again because his behavior is now great.
I have no desire to see this woman fired because she has been very kind to me when perhaps she did not want or need to be.
I will also preface this with the fact that today is -33 with the wind chill factor. Pretty brisk to say the least.
Now to the meat of the matter – the rank turd sitting in my pants steaming away.
Today my son’s school bus broke down on the ride home. I received a call from my son on the drivers cell phone stating that the bus had broken down and they were waiting on a mechanic to come and fix it… that they would be a bit late. I thanked them for the call and said that was fine and that was that.
My son arrived home a short while later (All in all an hour later than usual). Upon arrival he informed me that some other kid’s mom had driven him home. Hmn ok wait…. seems a bit innocent yes?
My son’s school bus driver – who has passed police clearances in order to be entrusted with my son’s safety HANDED my son off to some other kids MOM. A mom I have never met, spoken to or even HEARD of. A mom I still have never met or spoken to. Somehow in her lack of thought the bus driver thought it was a-o-k to put MY SON in some random woman’s PERSONAL VEHICLE and entrust that she drives him home because “It’s cold enough to die waiting for the mechanic”.
EXCUSE ME but WHAT THE HELL?!
I do not know this mother… have never met her or spoken to her. I do not know if she is a rapist, kidnapper, murderer, drug smoking, drunk driving woman. I know ZILCH about her. Ok so I realize the chances of her being some nasty pedophile are pretty slim but isn’t that MY choice to take that risk or not? I had no idea he was NOT safely on the bus… What if there had been a crash? I would have had NO IDEA who the fuck had my son. What if my son had NEVER arrived home? I would have had NO IDEA who had him.
Ideally the bus driver – when on the phone with me – would have ASKED PERMISSION before sending my kid in some woman’s van to drive home to me. WHICH I WOULD HAVE SAID THANKS BUT NO to and instead had him stay with the bus driver or call a cab to bring him to me or have my mom pick him up. I most certainly would NOT choose to send him with some random woman!
Make no mistake – my son did arrive home safely, which is great. I however am so unimpressed by the bad judgement on the part of the bus driver that all trust is broken. I am left wondering next time shit hits the fan who’s car she may stuff him into and entrust his care to.
I would never in a million years do that to someone… and am shocked that she did.
I am waiting now on the bus company’s supervisor to call me because I want an assurance that NOTHING like this will EVER happen again. I have been waiting an hour for the call and every moment that ticks by on the clock results in me feeling more and more hostile. My son will not be getting on a school bus tomorrow if the school bus company does not return my call tonight, No way.
I pay my kids bus company over $500.00 a year to drive my son to and from school every day… Not to shove him in some strangers car, risk his safety and piss me off. Common sense people!
Just sayin’
A fuming Jayde.
