Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. In our district, not only does the bus driver drive them back to school, but the school calls each parent who misses the bus. (We've had a few calls like that). Sometimes we tell them we'll be at the next stop and pick them up there. Other times we go to the school.

This should not have happened more than once.

If the school is calling to say that your child has been returned to school, why would you ever go to the next stop? I assume you have to pick up at the school. The bus driver is already late because s/he had to circle back to the school.

they call while at our bus stop. they don't wait for us, just call right then and there. So, if I forgot to get my kid, bus calls school and says, Larla's mom wasn't at stop, Larla's still on bus. school calls me, I can say, "I'll be at the next stop the bus goes to so bus driver doesn't have to go all the way back to school."

Anonymous wrote:My almost three year old can walk half a block away by herself. SURELY a four or five year old can do it too.

If it's part of the caregiver's job then yell at them but I wouldn't bother the school or bus drivers.

How do you know? Do you let your 2 year old wander off down the block alone frequently?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well we could be like Worcester... Policy is kindergarteners have to be matched up with parents when getting off the bus. This has to be done before other kids can get off. Parents got mad and unruly it was taking too long so bus driver called dispatch who said to close doors and wait for cops. Parents and caregivers stormed bus with one caregiver punching the bus driver.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2014/09/05/worcester-school-bus-driver-allegedly-punched-face-after-refusing-let-kids-off/b4bpITum5pY3fhxByKAlDP/story.html

winner!

Hey I'm from Worcester (almost), and I can believe this story!

I'm the PP who keeps trying to remind people that this is NOT the policy in MoCo. In theory the bus driver should take the kid back to the school, but that only works if the kid knows not to jump off the bus and THEN look for his/her parent/caregiver. At our stop, the kids come flying off and only belatedly look around. In 5 years (with 2 siblings) there has never been any attempt to ensure that every kid was being met, or even that anyone was meeting any of them. I protested this with the school and with the transportation department, and they all referred back to the policy, which doesn't make the bus driver responsible for any of it. I'm not advocating or favoring this, but just trying to spare other parents the shock of finding out their 5yo was left on a busy street with no adult present. Have a backup plan, and discuss it with your child. And make sure your neighbors have all your phone numbers (and you theirs.)