I was not at the school bus stop

[Anonymous]

SO many of the PPs are declaring that the bus driver SHOULD NOT let the child off the bus without a parent present. That may be what you think should happen, but at least in MoCo it is not the formal policy. Bus drivers are not under any obligation to confirm that a child has been met by a parent or caregiver. You may think that's wrong,* but it's the reality. So plan accordingly.

*Fwiw, I also would prefer that this wasn't the policy, but in reality I appreciate that it's impossible for every bus driver to be held responsible for ensuring that every child is met by the appropriate adult. Every camp my kids have gone to has a confirmed sign-out, but I've never seen that at a public school and certainly not on a public school bus. It's a bit weird if you think about, but then again so is the fact that kids don't have seat belts on school buses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The buses don't automatically return to the school. It would be making a special trip for your kid.

+1
This sends the bus off its normal route and inconveniences the driver. Please don't look at it like this is a real option if you're late.

+1

Yes, inconveniencing many other children and parents, some of whom might now be late to meet a school bus...

Yes, it does. It automatically comes back to school. After he drops off all the children. This is also a place where they park for the night. He has to come back to school.

The principal sent everyone an email a few weeks ago saying the kids will be returned to school when parents are not present.

My lesson is that drivers will make mistakes and I shouldn't rely on the school to enforce their own policy. I should have contingency plan in case the school's contingency plan fails.


But I can't believe all the teachers posting here that they have no responsibility for five year olds in their care. Yes, you do. It's your job to make sure the child is safe when parents are not present. You should be acting in the best interest of the children, not yourselves.

Actually as a parent, you were neglectful, not the school, teachers or bus driver. You cannot expect to have the school cater to your running late. You need to arrange care if you are late, take responsibility for your child and grow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

"I was running late" in OP's post sounds pretty lame.

I had a doctor's appointment which ran a little late. I drove like a lunatic, but when I caught up with the school bus at the next stop, my daughter was not on the bus and the driver told me "oh, she already got off".

Then, you reschedule your appoint,ent or make arrangements with dad or someone else to meet the bus. Or, pay for after school care. You don not get it do you?

[Anonymous]

Should ALWAYS have a back up plan and the child should know what to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

"I was running late" in OP's post sounds pretty lame.

I had a doctor's appointment which ran a little late. I drove like a lunatic, but when I caught up with the school bus at the next stop, my daughter was not on the bus and the driver told me "oh, she already got off".

Please don't do that, no matter how late you are.

[Anonymous]

What I don't understand is that you knew you were running late and you still went home. If you didn't want (expect) your child to be dropped off, why didn't you go back to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were no other kids who got of at that bus stop. Just my child. Alone. A 5 year old child. On a street.

School IS responsible for my child until one of the parents gets her.

As a teacher, I am disturbed by your statement.

I am NOT your child's parent. And if you're slacker ass isn't home by a certain time, that's your fault - and not the responsibility of the school to provide FREE daycare for your kid.

What is WRONG with you?

NP here. As a parent, I'm disturbed that a teacher doesn't know the difference between "your" and "you're". The parent here messed up. But what happens if the parent has been in a car accident and just isn't there? The bus driver is supposed to leave the kid? Because the slacker ass parent had the gall to be in the hospital unconscious?
It CANNOT be the rule that the bus just leaves a 5 year old to fend for themselves. That's ridiculous. And, yes, the school *is* in a parental role, by law, while the kid is in school. The legal concept is "in parens patriae". When you take possession of the child during the school day, you are responsible for her. So, if she's injured, you have to arrange to get her to the hospital if needed, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about walkers? Does the teacher make sure every walker gets met by a parent?

In our MCPS school, at least for the Kidnergarteners, yes. The teacher lets each kid out only when she sees the parent/sitter. On the few times I've seen kids there with no one to meet them, the teacher doesn't let them out.

[Anonymous]

Is OP a troll or just batshit-crazy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were no other kids who got of at that bus stop. Just my child. Alone. A 5 year old child. On a street.

School IS responsible for my child until one of the parents gets her.

As a teacher, I am disturbed by your statement.

I am NOT your child's parent. And if you're slacker ass isn't home by a certain time, that's your fault - and not the responsibility of the school to provide FREE daycare for your kid.

What is WRONG with you?

NP here. As a parent, I'm disturbed that a teacher doesn't know the difference between "your" and "you're". The parent here messed up. But what happens if the parent has been in a car accident and just isn't there? The bus driver is supposed to leave the kid? Because the slacker ass parent had the gall to be in the hospital unconscious?
It CANNOT be the rule that the bus just leaves a 5 year old to fend for themselves. That's ridiculous. And, yes, the school *is* in a parental role, by law, while the kid is in school. The legal concept is "in parens patriae". When you take possession of the child during the school day, you are responsible for her. So, if she's injured, you have to arrange to get her to the hospital if needed, etc.

Well the schools should make the policy more clear, such as "be at the bus stop unless you are incapacitated and unconscious," because if you give people an inch, they will take a mile. In this particular case, the OP was perfectly conscious. She was not incapacitated. She was running late from a doctor's office. Her fault. She should not have made the doctor's appointment so close to the time when she's supposed to pick up her child. She should know that doctor's appointments often run late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People. This is a FIVE year old. Would you want your five year old sent wandering home by herself?

Walking one block? I don't see the problem. I walked 10 blocks home on my own at the age of 5. My own five year old is perfectly capable of getting home from one block away and I think the responsibility would be good for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was not incapacitated. She was running late from a doctor's office. Her fault. She should not have made the doctor's appointment so close to the time when she's supposed to pick up her child. She should know that doctor's appointments often run late.

Yes, we must be perfect, except sometimes we are not. And sometimes things happen outside our control. So what? I'm still a pretty fucking good parent.

And you can shame me all day long, I will not own it. I just hope shaming is not what you do in classroom every day. Because it can be damaging to kids' psyche.

[Anonymous]

OP, you have to see that your approach is just the first step in deciding that "Hey, I can stop in for a coffee and a pedicure, because if I'm not at the bus stop they'll just take Larla back to school and entertain her."

There is literally no reason why you couldn't have been at the bus stop. You can tell time. You knew you wouldn't make it. But you hung out at the doctor's office anyway.

Don't blame the bus driver. Your kid. Your responsibility. Your fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was not incapacitated. She was running late from a doctor's office. Her fault. She should not have made the doctor's appointment so close to the time when she's supposed to pick up her child. She should know that doctor's appointments often run late.

Yes, we must be perfect, except sometimes we are not. And sometimes things happen outside our control. So what? I'm still a pretty fucking good parent.

And you can shame me all day long, I will not own it. I just hope shaming is not what you do in classroom every day. Because it can be damaging to kids' psyche.

No, you are an arrogant parent when failed to get their child from the bus stop and refuses to take responsibility. That is neglect. A good parent wood hav e called th school or got a backup.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we must be perfect, except sometimes we are not. And sometimes things happen outside our control. So what? I'm still a pretty fucking good parent.

And you can shame me all day long, I will not own it. I just hope shaming is not what you do in classroom every day. Because it can be damaging to kids' psyche.

OP,
Do you hear yourself? Could you not give the same consideration to the bus driver?