The Problem With Bussing

First on, last off...

There are a number of reasons for this policy, the top of the list being, well...“it’s just our policy“. Then there’s the, “It’s easier for the driver,” and “It’s more efficient” excuses.

But any way you slice it, the first kid picked up for school in the morning, if he lives in the country, is going to be the last one dropped off in the afternoon. Because the bus driver wants to dump as many kids off in town as fast as humanly possible. Because it makes their job easier.

This is one of many problems in our country today. Whatever people can do to make life easier on themselves is the way to go. And while that’s not always a bad thing, it’s not the best policy when your selfishness affects others. Especially kids stuck on busses without seatbelts and sucking in exhaust fumes. (And let’s not even get in to how the rough ride itself is!)

Am I making a mountain out of a molehill?

I don’t think so.

Let’s tackle the first excuse. “It’s just our policy.” So what! The policy stinks, and is a cop out, so change it! A short, sweet....and simple solution.

Now for the second argument. Who cares what’s easier for the driver? The driver is getting paid pretty well to do a job, not to be catered to. I’m sure there are many other employees across the country who would like to have the ability to ‘change things to suit themselves,’ but they just have to suck it up and live with it. What makes bus drivers more special than anyone else?

Which brings us to my personal favorite. It’s more efficient. How? And for whom? Certainly not the poor kid who rode an hour and fifteen minutes in the morning, and who gets to ride an hour and fifteen minutes again in the afternoon. More efficient for that kid, who has already spent about seven hours in the classroom, and who will likely spend a couple more hours (at least, depending on what grade he‘s in) doing homework, would probably include a little more time for himself at home.

Of course ‘more efficient’ could mean a savings of time and fuel. Another load of bunk. If bus drivers are picking up and dropping off the same amount of kids every day, they’re going to travel the same number of miles regardless of the order in which they do it.

No, I’m sure the whole first on, last off issue boils down to one thing, and that is getting the bus as empty as possible as fast as humanly possible. Because, of course, kids get bored. And it’s better to keep that number low.

Better?

Easier.

It’s kind of like the whole ‘alphabetical order’ system. You don’t even want me to get started on the unfairness of that antiquated bunch of malarkey. But, since I don’t have anything better to do right now I will say this about it....

I started life off at one end of the alphabet and pretty much zipped right across all the letters to the other end, so I know from experience. Life is, more often than not, easier when you’re on the left side of that particular line up.

Don’t get me wrong. I know there has to be some sort of order to life. If there wasn’t, chaos would reign. I’m just saying that some things are done for convenience, with little thought to fairness.

Do I have kids riding the bus this year? Yup. I do. My son. Who is autistic and already an old hand at how unfair life can be. And, for the first time ever-thanks to some genius in the special education system who apparently can‘t read-has found himself in the unenviable position of first on, last off.

At least for today.

Fortunately for him, his mother who kind of enjoys challenging the status quo. And after twenty-four years of parenting a special needs child, I’m an old hand at taking on the system. Something I’ve also done for my girls on occasion.

And it’s something all parents should do for their kids. Whether you’re dealing with a teacher with an attitude, your child being last because her name starts with ’Z,’ or ’first on, last off,’ just because ‘that’s the way they do things‘.

Our kids learn right from wrong from us. They also learn that we love them when we stand up for them. Oh, I don’t mean if Johnny smacked Bobby on the playground because Bobby beat him to the last available swing. If you’ve done your job, Johnny knew better and needs to be punished, not have Mommy and Daddy there trying to bail him out of trouble.

That’s another problem in America today-parents refusing to let their kids be accountable for the choices they make. But that’s a topic for another blog another day.

Maybe tomorrow...