By Talia Ruiz Sarmiento
“I started taking my daughter to school,” Adriana said. “After the first week, I knew this wouldn’t work. I finish work at 2:30 p.m. and rush to pick her up at 3:00 p.m.”
Rushing and leaving work might function for some parents but for the ones that can’t change their schedule, they have to worry about what time their children might get home. Many have jobs/duties and the buses are the only option for them.
“Sometimes they don’t get home until 6:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m., or even 8:00 p.m. ” Roderick McKinney said to WHAS11. Once his niece and nephew finish their homework, they have to eat, bathe, and then go to bed.
Kids aren’t able to talk about their school day with parents because they don’t have time. The bus issue causes parents and their children to miss out on bonding opportunities.
Not only is it an afternoon problem where buses are dropping off kids late. Many parents keep in touch with each other, and by texting they all inform one another on if their bus passed their bus stop or not, this type of activity leaves parents feeling stressed, and leaving parents without a routine to have control of. It’s been months of this and we still see the district struggling to handle this problem.
The responsibility of taking care of kids that aren’t yours is huge. Many bus drivers quit for this very reason. It’s scary to be driving around dropping kids off at late hours. The bus routes are long and bus drivers struggle to handle all the routes at an appropriate time. Roads could be closed, which makes the routes longer. Bus drivers aren’t willing to take responsibility for all those children if something were to happen. Many do not even want to try for the job because of the conditions.
Many sit and wait for hours on end for their children to arrive home. Wondering if their kids are okay. Guardians fear something bad happening to them, giving responsibilities to a system in which they don’t have control or trust to take care of hundreds of children. A grandmother who wonders if her grandson of six will arrive home safely. Knowing anything could happen.
A mother’s hug is like no other. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, your family is the people you rely on. When you’re placed in the hands of someone else, the school system, you hope for them to be ready for anything. Yet, the disaster of the first week back to school was traumatic for parents but imagine what the children were feeling. Kindergartens were sitting for hours in buses waiting to get home, we can wonder what was going through their heads at that moment.
“I hold my grandson’s hand until he gets on that bus”. You fear what could happen to a kid who just started reading and writing. That kid is in the hands of the district now, you can’t do anything except wait for a response.
Not only is the driver shortage happening because of pay or the responsibility bus drivers have to have for each child. Many bus drivers have come out and said how the students’ behaviors have been out of control.
In an interview with WLKY, Bob Pendygraft said, “They’re throwing chocolate donuts hitting kids in the head, cursing like sailors, and wanting to fight. It’s an everyday situation”.
No wonder bus drivers want to quit. The bus drivers have too much on their plate, leaving them only one option, which is to quit. The responsibility for respect within these children is on the parents and the schools. Yet, it’s expected for bus drivers to handle the bus routes at an appropriate time, take care of the children, and get disrespected by them.
The one’s emotion when you get to see your kid safe and happy. Your kid telling you about their day. Parents that pick up their children, parents that wait for their children outside the school, only a few minutes away. It’s sad to think that some parents can’t do that. Many parents rely on those buses. What do those parents who rely on buses feel? Are they embarrassed that they can’t take their children to school? Do they feel remorse for not being able to keep their children safe? This is not a parent’s fault but the fault of the system for the school district to take care of.
The smile of a child who finally gets to see and hug his mother. The fear of a mother who didn’t know what was happening. A bus driver who was only trying to their job. The parents, the kids, and the bus drivers are all innocent of what the system has created. Do we care more for others or should we care more for our future generation? Is it dramatic to care for our future because we know many parents would go insane for their children?
Photo Courtesy // Talia Ruiz Sarmiento
