TMJ4 - Mom Says School Bus Bullies Torment Young Girl

[btfoom]

http://www.todaystmj4.com/features/iteam/123406893.html

MILWAUKEE – Chaos on the school bus and the I-Team catches it all.

Our story starts with a fed up mom. She says her little girl who is only 4 years old is hit, tormented, has her glasses broken by other kids and that it happens all the time.

She says MPS hasn't done anything about it so I-Team reporter Rob Koebel takes the case

and wait till you see what your tax dollars are paying for now. A school bus ride that is out of control, little children in danger ride after ride. We follow the girl’s entire bus ride cameras rolling.

We spot bus number 83. On board -- a little 4 year-old girl. She goes to Frances Starms Early Childhood Center. But her mom says the little’s girl’s first challenge every day is surviving her bus ride.

Ms. Edwards says, “Nothing has been done I’ve called the school board and the principal.” She claims this small child is being tortured daily, punched, hit by other kids, her glasses broken twice and the torment has been going on for months now.

“She has come home with sores and bumps and even scars up under her neck from certain things being hit on her”, Ms Edwards tells the I-Team Investigators.

The mom says she has begged the school to do something but is only told she needs to get the girl new glasses.... <rest at link>

I know there have been stories like this, especially regarding 'bullying'. This one hit me a little harder as I have a 6 year old daughter who I drop off every morning. I really don't know what I would do in this case. I remember a case where a father got on a bus (I think in Chicago) to confront a couple of kids - he then got arrested himself.

So, besides driving your child to/from school each day, what would you really do if you were in this mother's situation (I know what I'd want to do, and it would involve a baseball bat and 'Walking Tall' type justice).

Best I can think of is to take pics of broken glasses, bruises, and the video from this news cast and go right to the School Superintendent/School Board. Show them everything, and if need be, bring a lawyer so they know a giant law-suit is coming if nothing happens.

Just sad that kids can't even get a ride to school without being subject to this kind of stuff.

[DM72]

So, besides driving your child to/from school each day, what would you really do if you were in this mother's situation (I know what I'd want to do, and it would involve a baseball bat and 'Walking Tall' type justice).

LOL. There's better ways to handle this than intimidating 4 year olds with a baseball bat. I would say go over the head of the principal but that probably won't do anything either. I'd probably just drive the kid to school.

[DeaconTheVillain]

Have sex with bullies mom and make sure he walks in during IMO

---------- Post added June-8th-2011 at 02:38 PM ----------

But seriously, as I was reading this, I had trouble not believing this girls mom was somehow hyping this up. 4 years old=preschool last I knew. Elementry school kids don't seem to bully as much as middle school. So what bus was the little tyke riding?

I dunno, but I do agree that being bullied is probably the worst and most demoralizing thing that can happen to a kid, especially at a young age.

[Bang]

It has been my experience, and I do have experience in this area.. the only way to get anywhere is to immediately go down to the school and raise holy hell. When my son had some problems of this nature, and a kid practically shoved his head thru a closed bus window, I took him straight down to the school and did just that. (I didn't intend to raise hell, but as it turns out it became necessary.)

I got mad and I got loud. i always kept my cool, but was adamant that something be done, and I got results. Not the first time. But eventually I got thru to an administrator who wasn't afraid to do something.

And that was my distinct impression when I would get the stone wall ..the administrators were afraid of repurcussion from the other parents. It was easier to blame the victim than have to deal with the ****head parents of ****head kids.

~Bang

[The Evil Genius]

A Mom lets her 4 year old ride the bus alone?

Wow. How very 1980's of her.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

LOL. There's better ways to handle this than intimidating 4 year olds with a baseball bat. I would say go over the head of the principal but that probably won't do anything either. I'd probably just drive the kid to school.

What if you don't have a car?

I think the bus driver needs to be fired. Seems like the chaos on the bus is a result of a bus driver who just wants to finish his/her route and be done with it. How hard would it be for the driver to report the stuff happening on their bus and insist on something to help control it?

[Bang]

What if you don't have a car?

I think the bus driver needs to be fired. Seems like the chaos on the bus is a result of a bus driver who just wants to finish his/her route and be done with it. How hard would it be for the driver to report the stuff happening on their bus and insist on something to help control it?

Totally agree.

The kid has a right to ride the public bus without expecting to get her ass beat.

Call the amblamps.

~Blamps

[Homercles82]

Yes, a 4 year old can be riding the bus with other children. If the district she is in does not have the federal program Headstart, but they have a program for 4 year olds to go to before KG, then I could see having the child on the bus.

In Spotsylvania we have the Headstart program. There is a bus that picks up all the headstart children in a certain part of the district, they all are buckled in and go to school. They do not ever mingle or mix with upper grade children.

Bullying at a young age is more of an issue than people are aware of.

---------- Post added June-8th-2011 at 03:12 PM ----------

Then we try another day. Again bus 83. At first glance – the kids are all seated. A good sign. But just moments later – a mob of kid’s breaks loose, chaos erupting this time, too. Running in the aisles, hands and feet flying everywhere and once again more punching.

Holy ****. I am on the FIRE THE BUS DRIVER bandwagon now.

[DM72]

What if you don't have a car?

I think the bus driver needs to be fired. Seems like the chaos on the bus is a result of a bus driver who just wants to finish his/her route and be done with it. How hard would it be for the driver to report the stuff happening on their bus and insist on something to help control it?

You're asking a lot of a bus driver who's primary job is to drive the bus.

[Destino]

The school should: Identify the students causing the problem. Contact their parents and tell them that if another incident occurs involving them on the bus they will lose privileges and will need to find an alternative method of getting to school. If the parents don't seem to care call child services.

The parent should (if an alternative means of transport is not possible): Contact the school (already done). Show up to a school board meeting and demand answers. Have their lawyer contact the school to inform them of an impending lawsuit should the little girl be harmed again with no action taken by the school. If the girl is harmed again call the police so they can file a report on the child's injuries and investigate. (make sure to document everything because continued signs of abuse may eventually land her in hot water with child services)

[Sniffler]

The school should: Identify the students causing the problem. Contact their parents and tell them that if another incident occurs involving them on the bus they will lose privileges and will need to find an alternative method of getting to school. If the parents don't seem to care call child services.

The parent should (if an alternative means of transport is not possible): Contact the school (already done). Show up to a school board meeting and demand answers. Have their lawyer contact the school to inform them of an impending lawsuit should the little girl be harmed again with no action taken by the school. If the girl is harmed again call the police so they can file a report on the child's injuries and investigate. (make sure to document everything because continued signs of abuse may eventually land her in hot water with child services)

Very well put, Destino. This exactly what should be done.

[Thiebear]

I pulled my daughter out of the Springfiled Estates Advanced classes due to a boy that punched her and tripped her.

He was moved to the back of the bus, but their parents complained also as he was fighting and he was moved back directly behind her hit her in the head with a recorder. I tried to have him removed from the bus and or school repeatedly.

The school admitted this boy's bully behavior and said they were working on it. We started the kiss and ride at that point and pulled her out of school and put her back in the old school.

The Bush Hill principal put her in adv. math/poetry and was happy to get her back.

[mjah]

I was 4 years old when I started kindergarten. I know that's less common now due to rule changes, but it doesn't strike me as objectionable.

...Unless, of course, the other kids on the bus are objectionable. In that case, OF COURSE it's the bus driver's responsibility to maintain a certain level of order, and to report the issue if it truly has grown out of control. How the hell can somebody drive a bus when the distraction of uncontrolled and violent kid-chaos is being unleashed right on board? Maintaining a loose standard of order is part of responsible driving.

Kids need supervision and education; that's why we don't turn them loose to roam the neighborhood all day. They need supervision and (occasionally, corrective) education on the bus too. The bus is not a magical environment where the normal rules of behavioral protocol are suspended. And bus drivers are the only adults aboard, 99% of the time. It's on them to report when necessary. Whether the school district pays attention or not is another issue (see: "raising hell").

[Henry]

Let's see.

My kid is repeatedly getting off the bus with bruises and broken glasses, with no explanation from the school. I talk to the school about it, they blow me off and it continues to happen.

I'm calling a lawyer.

[pointyfootball]

What this girl needs is an older brother/friend like I had. "Only I can pick on my brother" was my brother's attitude.

My wife and I went to a talk given by Jodee Blanco ("Please Stop Laughing At Me") that was eye-opening and incredibly sad. Bullying can really mess up kids' lives by making them withdraw socially, go into depression, lose interest in hobbies they would normally enjoy and much worse. Bang is right with the approach, IMO. You shouldn't have to get a lawyer, but you should raise hell, and make sure you document your discussions. This is one instance where being a "helicopter" parent is required.

[Kosher Ham]

I agree. Go to the school and raise hell. Make sure they know you are recording the conversation.

Funny how different people act when they know they are being recorded and how much faster the results come.

[codeorama]

This story kind of hits home for me. Before I became a teacher, I was an administrator for the transportation department in my school district. I vowed never to let my child ride the bus. The stuff is crazy. The bus drivers cannot see everything that happens on the bus. Its impossible.

Due to circumstances beyond my control (wife left me and my son), I had to let my son ride the bus this year. My son is 5, but was 4 when school started. He's in the PreK program. I take him to school every morning but he gets out of school 1 hour before I do. I can't afford after school care so I had no choice but to let him ride the bus. Lucky for me, I was an admin in transportation for 7 years. They took care of my son. He has the best bus driver in the district, he sits behind the driver and is on a special needs bus with only 8 other kids and there is another adult on the bus with him. The driver has my phone number and there's never a problem.

Not everyone is this lucky. I've seen terrible things and it sucks.

[gortiz]

You're asking a lot of a bus driver who's primary job is to drive the bus.

yeah, my wife is a teacher and in charge of transportation at her school ...she said bus drivers get paid squat and not nearly enough to deal with **** head kids that have been raised like little animals.