Incident on the bus

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 5:30 pm

There was an incident today on the bus to school. I heard about it from my child. A few of the children did something that may have seemed innocent to them, but is actually unacceptable. I don't know why, but there is no bus monitor. In the past ,they always had a monitor. Perhaps the school is working on it, and meanwhile they started school without it. I really don't know.

I emailed the school transportation to let them know.
I imagine that they are being inundated with many requests the first few days, as things are always a bit chaotic at the start of the school year. I am imagining that it will take a few days for someone to get back to me.
Meanwhile, I have every reason to assume that what happened today will happen again tomorrow, and the next day, unless an adult steps in.

I'm not sure what, if anything, I can do.
One thought I had was to let the mother of the child know, and she can speak to her child. (There were a few kids, but it sounds like this child was the main instigator.) I know this woman from the neighborhood and have a cordial relationship with her.
Thoughts?

mha3484

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 5:33 pm

In my kids school any behavioral issues that happen on the bus go to the menahel/menaheles. Not the bus coordinator.

I once had to call my friend because our boys were fighting on the bus but unless I know the other mother well I would not call them.

amother

Cerise

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 5:50 pm

Definitely a call to the principal asap.
One day one of my kids told me how some boys were bullying another child on the bus, I right away called the principal and informed him of what was going on and he put a stop to it the very next day.
Please do not let this continue.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 5:57 pm

I called the principal. He heard me out. Unfortunately, I didnt get the sense that this was a top priority. It's a very big school and the cogs in the wheel move slowly.
Maybe I will be wrong and it will be resolved quickly.

amother

↑ Ballota

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 7:19 pm

amother OP wrote:

I'm not clear exactly what type of situation was going on. But if this was my kid, I'd be sure to pick him up from school until I was 100% certain that the situation was resolved. Even if it was the most inconvenient thing in the world.

amother

Maple

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 7:25 pm

amother Ballota wrote:

And call the principal daily to find out whether it was dealt with.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 7:37 pm

Molly Weasley wrote:

Could you advise your child to sit in the front for the time being?

Children usually don’t act up in front of an adult, even if it’s just the driver.

Thanks. But that wasn't the issue. It wasn't a bullying issue.

amother

Floralwhite ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 7:51 pm

On my kids bus, there was a stage when kids were pooping on the seats of the bus. I called the principle & I heard from my kids several days later that those kids were banned from riding the bus.

↑ Molly Weasley ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 8:00 pm

amother Floralwhite wrote:

On my kids bus, there was a stage when kids were pooping on the seats of the bus. I called the principle & I heard from my kids several days later that those kids were banned from riding the bus.

Kids.

It doesn't sound like this was it though. OP mentioned it may be "innocent"

↑ Molly Weasley ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 8:01 pm

Another option is to speak directly to the mpm, as it might be a misunderstanding rather than intentional behavior from the child. You can approach it as if that’s the case, just to keep things constructive.

amother

Stone ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 8:08 pm

amother OP wrote:

I also send to a big school (Lakewood cheder) but I don’t find that the cogs move slowly at all. You need to find the right person to speak with and it gets taken care of. Maybe speak with someone else on staff.

DrMom ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 8:19 pm

amother Floralwhite wrote:

On my kids bus, there was a stage when kids were pooping on the seats of the bus. I called the principle & I heard from my kids several days later that those kids were banned from riding the bus.

octopus ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 8:23 pm

Poop on the bus is horrific. Absolutely unacceptable. I don't know op what happened in your situation, but better than a phone call is to send an email. It's hard to get a good reaction on the spot. I like to email the issue and I leave my phone number and they either email me back or call me. And since they know what it's about usually I have a much better response.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 9:23 pm

octopus wrote:

I did both.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Sep 03 2024, 9:25 pm

Molly Weasley wrote:

Can you give a bit more detail about what it was?

The kids asked the bus driver to turn on the radio. Which she did. Non Jewish kol isha. (With big boys on the bus.)