Bus dropped off Kindergartners at bus stop when parent was not there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m also in MCPS. I have a neighbor whose son accidentally got on the wrong bus as a first grader. When the bus entered our neighborhood, but deviated from our route, he decided that he’d better get off at the next stop and try to walk to his house. Unfortunately, he went in the wrong direction — away from his house. Luckily, when her son didn’t get off the bus, neighbor got in her car and headed to the school, and while driving there, she spotted her son walking along the sidewalk in our neighborhood. Understandably, neighbor was very upset that her son was allowed to get off a bus he’d never been on before (this wasn’t even at the beginning of the school year, when the driver may not know all the kids yet) without anyone there to meet him. She spoke with the bus depot and our principal and they basically felt that there was nothing that the driver could/should have done differently.

You need to do 2 things: make an arrangement with a neighbor at the bus stop that you will look out for each other’s kids, and teach your own kids that they need to speak up to the driver and get back on the bus if neither you nor your helpful neighbor is waiting there at the bus stop. The families at our bus stop have all become very friendly and we look out for each other. I have multiple people who I can text if I’m running late and I need someone to collect my kids and watch them for 5 minutes until I can get there, and they know I’d do the same for them.

That is scary..I would have had a panic attack if I were in that situation..After this, yes I think I will ask someone to text me..We have to drive 1/2 mile to the bus stop and most people usually sit in their cars and the kids get in (older kids) so we haven't formed any friendships, but sharing numbers wouldn't hurt..

Its a good thing the kids know the way home from bus stop since we often go for walks past the bus stop..

I also taught them a code word today after reading the article about a kid asking for a family code word when a guy tried to abduct her by saying her brother was in the hospital and to get in the vehicle..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they are VERY clear that all kids will be let off at the stops. It is the parents job to be there when they are dropped off!! This is all on you OP. The play date situation sounds like a bus driver issue. But look at your kid’s schedule and have someone there!!!

Incorrect. Ignore this drivel. The school system is responsible for children on the buses and for making sure they are delivered home safely.

You are 100% wrong. They are responsible for getting them to the stop, not home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like you have the right back up plan in place. If you or the bus driver mess up. Your kids know how to get home. Walk the route with them a few times. How far is your house from the stop? Do they need to cross streets? Point out landmarks. If there is a neighbor you know, identify that house. That way if you weren't home and they walked home, they would know where to go.

This is called parenting vs helicoptering. Should have been done prior to school starting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they are VERY clear that all kids will be let off at the stops. It is the parents job to be there when they are dropped off!! This is all on you OP. The play date situation sounds like a bus driver issue. But look at your kid’s schedule and have someone there!!!

Incorrect. Ignore this drivel. The school system is responsible for children on the buses and for making sure they are delivered home safely.

You are 100% wrong. They are responsible for getting them to the stop, not home.

And maybe if MCPS could take a page out of other county or state's rules to ensure the safety of the children. You wouldn't be defending MCPS this much if it happened to your child.

Another county/state's policy:

https://www.hartfordschools.org/files/7BUS_DROP-OFF_POLICY.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they are VERY clear that all kids will be let off at the stops. It is the parents job to be there when they are dropped off!! This is all on you OP. The play date situation sounds like a bus driver issue. But look at your kid’s schedule and have someone there!!!

Incorrect. Ignore this drivel. The school system is responsible for children on the buses and for making sure they are delivered home safely.

You are 100% wrong. They are responsible for getting them to the stop, not home.

Incorrect. Don't repeat mcps crap. If you believe everything that mcps tells you then you have a lot to learn.
Adults are responsible for supervision of children, not the other way around. In previous instances of this type, bus drivers were removed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they are VERY clear that all kids will be let off at the stops. It is the parents job to be there when they are dropped off!! This is all on you OP. The play date situation sounds like a bus driver issue. But look at your kid’s schedule and have someone there!!!

Incorrect. Ignore this drivel. The school system is responsible for children on the buses and for making sure they are delivered home safely.

You are 100% wrong. They are responsible for getting them to the stop, not home.

And maybe if MCPS could take a page out of other county or state's rules to ensure the safety of the children. You wouldn't be defending MCPS this much if it happened to your child.

Another county/state's policy:

https://www.hartfordschools.org/files/7BUS_DROP-OFF_POLICY.pdf

Thank you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they are VERY clear that all kids will be let off at the stops. It is the parents job to be there when they are dropped off!! This is all on you OP. The play date situation sounds like a bus driver issue. But look at your kid’s schedule and have someone there!!!

Incorrect. Ignore this drivel. The school system is responsible for children on the buses and for making sure they are delivered home safely.

You are 100% wrong. They are responsible for getting them to the stop, not home.

And maybe if MCPS could take a page out of other county or state's rules to ensure the safety of the children. You wouldn't be defending MCPS this much if it happened to your child.

Another county/state's policy:

https://www.hartfordschools.org/files/7BUS_DROP-OFF_POLICY.pdf

DC is in K and required to wear a safety vest. The driver will not let a child wearing a vest off the bus without an adult. This is the policy for PGCPS.
I'm glad your child was OK and abke to get home safely. Our stop is in the back of our community and we drive there. I don't think DC would be able to figure out how to walk home with all the cul-de-sacs.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Crazy stuff in MC. Always have full ID info on your child, in case a kind person finds him/her.

[Anonymous]

I suggest having your PTA call and email the MCPS bus depot director suggesting that trackers be put on the buses. In this day and age there should be an app to track when your child’s bus is arriving or leaving school. If metro has a bus tracking app, why shouldn’t MCPS for the safety of our kids?

[Anonymous]

This is not normal on my child’s bus. Just the other day the driver would not let the K student off the bus until her mom got there. She actually waited a couple of minutes until the mom arrived

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you forgot but it’s someone else’s fault. Of course it is.

Did I say it is someone else's fault? Reading is fundamental.

Actually you did. You blamed the school administrators, the bus driver and the bus depot.

Your kids are fine.

Chill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At our school they are VERY clear that all kids will be let off at the stops. It is the parents job to be there when they are dropped off!! This is all on you OP. The play date situation sounds like a bus driver issue. But look at your kid’s schedule and have someone there!!!

Incorrect. Ignore this drivel. The school system is responsible for children on the buses and for making sure they are delivered home safely.

You are 100% wrong. They are responsible for getting them to the stop, not home.

And maybe if MCPS could take a page out of other county or state's rules to ensure the safety of the children. You wouldn't be defending MCPS this much if it happened to your child.

Another county/state's policy:

https://www.hartfordschools.org/files/7BUS_DROP-OFF_POLICY.pdf

DC is in K and required to wear a safety vest. The driver will not let a child wearing a vest off the bus without an adult. This is the policy for PGCPS.
I'm glad your child was OK and abke to get home safely. Our stop is in the back of our community and we drive there. I don't think DC would be able to figure out how to walk home with all the cul-de-sacs.

I get that the bus drivers shouldn’t drop off the kindergarteners without a parent, but it’s a huge parenting failure that you kid couldn’t find his way home in his own neighborhood.

My 3 year old could do that.

Though I will admit sometimes it would be easier if she couldn’t tell that we’re going the wrong way to a school playground, friends house, etc and will ask me to turn back and go the “right” way all the time.

[Anonymous]

I believe MCPS policy is that kids should let the driver know if something is not right, like they don’t see their caregiver there or they do not recognize the stops. One safety check you can do as parents is to explain to your child that they need to let the driver know if there is a problem. I have a very shy child and this would be hard for her, but sometimes it helps them just to know that they are supposed to speak up. This might have helped with the scary incident where the kid got on the wrong bus and wandered his neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So nothing bad happened in either case, you learned that your kids know how to get home from the bus stop, but you're upset?

I am more worried that K kids are let off without a caregiver present. Not upset. I want to know what the official MCPS policy is, thats all.

I’d be worried too if you were my mom. What a dimwit.

[Anonymous]

School system =\= your babysitting business

DO YOUR JOB AS A PARENT