Stupid bus driver, UGH!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2005
Stupid bus driver, UGH!
5
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 8:03am

CJ, 10, (AS,SD) and Matthew, 6,(NT) started school yesterday, HOORAY! I get to do grown up things! I did miss them, but that isn't the point.

The bus came yesterday morning and the woman had a Medusa face, as my cousin called it. She just *looked* foul. She didn't even say good morning to the kids! Ok, first day, lots of stress, I'll get over it.

But when they got home, Medusa wiggled her finger at me to call me over. Ok, what's the problem? She said, "That big one was picking on his brother so I moved him to another seat." Ok, fair enough, I'll talk to the kid. Then she informs me that he wouldn't stop talking. Um...YEAH! He's 10! Do 10 year olds ever stop talking? Anyway, I said, "This is no excuse, but he has Autism (I'm not even going to explain what Aspergers is to this *B*) and this is a huge change in routine. He's going to be a little out of sorts for a couple of days until he adjusts to the school schedule." She informed me that I needed to take a firmer approach to dicipline with my child and that if it happened again, she was going to write CJ up and he'd be suspended from the bus.. WHAT? She has no idea who this child is, who I am or how I dicipline my children. Who is she to judge me? I don't think so.

Oh, and the kids told me this morning that they aren't allowed to talk AT ALL! No talking on the 25 minute ride to and from school. This is STUPID!

So, I called the bus transportation office and promptly filed a complaint. If she can't understand that these are children not robots, she needs to get another job! And an Aspie child is going to need a little longer to adjust. I could just scream.

I'm waiting for transportation to call me back so we can totally discuss this. I will go straight up their chain of command, all the way to the Garrison Commander (who I know and am on a first name basis with) so quickly this woman's head is going to spin.

DH has been deployed for exactly 1 year today. I am beyond tired of my life, so I may just may have to take it out on her.

Don't mess with the tired, stressed, and p.o.ed momma!

Did I over react?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 8:57am

No. You didn't overreact. WTF does she get off telling you how to discipline your child?


And telling a busload of kids to NOT TALK???

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-28-2007
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 10:53am

Last year we had a medusa too; and the irony is this was a special needs bus; so it was full of possible behavior issues. She was totally clueless. Liam was written up a few times, (stupid crap), but this year it's odd, as we have her again and it's like she's had a personality transplant....go figure.

But I digress, yes yes go kick bus butt....friggin' mean old bat, I'd like to wire her mouth shut for 25 mins and see how she likes it!!!!

Dee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 11:12am

Is it the bust stop or the bus gestapo? No, I do not think you were over reacting. She too needed a smack on the hand and needs to get back in line. Maybe her mama should have had a firm hand with her and taught her manners. I hate it when people get into the wrong line of work. If you don't like kids...don't freaking work with them. Duh.

She sounds very rigid herself. I do understand and have sympathy for the difficulty of her job and everything that is required of a bus driver, but she stepped over the line in giving you parenting advice.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-17-2002
Thu, 08-09-2007 - 11:13am

That's the first thing I would have done too. People who don't like or can't tolerate kids should not be working with them, which includes bus drivers. Kids in general like to talk and make noise. And on the first day of school kids are hyper and nervous. What a stupid rule that they can't talk at all. I hope the bus company takes action. You might also let your school know. They can make a complaint too.

We've had our share of good and bad ones too - DS (4.5) rides a special bus to preschool. One old geezer kept complaining that he was ornery. I think he may have been the same one that tried to drop off the wrong kid to me - twice. Once DS was on the bus and the wrong kid jumped up. The other time I had picked DS up and he was in the house when the bus pulled up and he actually argued with me when I told him my child was in the house. Good grief! Another one kept getting huffy because DS kept taking his socks and shoes off on the bus. I think they thought he was just being difficult, which he may have been. But I think some of it is his sensory issues - he toe walks and we can't keep socks on him in the house. She actually threatened him a few times about it - that she couldn't take him home without shoes and socks on. He's 4 and takes everything literally - don't tell him soemthing like that. The most recent one this summer was really good. Both she and the para were good about joking with him. The bus driver would give him a high-5 every day when he got on and off. he did the shoe thing but they didn't really make a big deal unless he left them on, then they would make a big deal about it. He got in trouble one day for spitting but they just told him to stop, he didn't, so they told him they would have to tell Mom. My grandpa drove a school bus for years in a small community after he retired from farming and the kids loved him. He was always great with kids. He would even pull their loose teeth for him if they asked.

I hope you get results from the bus company. Someone like that should not be driving kids around.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2007
Fri, 08-10-2007 - 4:16am
We've had problems with the bus too. I would talk to the guy and he would be a jerk. I finally sent my husband to the bus stop to talk to him. He practically peed on himself! He turned to jelly and told my husband that my son was no trouble at all! My husband is a gentle, soft spoken guy, definately not the bruiser type so the driver's reaction was too funny for words. Anyway, Connecticut had just passed a law requiring a background check on all school bus drivers and the guy who looked about 45 abruptly "retired" in the middle of the school year. Pretty scary. Now I go through the school and my son's IEP to handle bus issues. We live in a small town so that is possible. I hope you make progress through the bus company.