Important because we allow our children to leave our home and return under the safest possible care. Because we stand up to Bully's in our schools, we rally and make posters against Bullying, and should not ever have to deal with this issue coming from a school bus driver or any employee within the school system caring for our children. Because the system is failing our children and we are "their" voices!

 Our Story....

I am writing about the current elementary school driver in my neighborhood, Greenwood Estates. She is a bully, she has acted negligently and should NOT be aloud to drive our children.

Let me first say that both my kids are not trouble makers. As a matter of fact, there was a bully incident with my youngest son and he refused to report it, so I did. The principle, Mr. "Mac" talked with me about him being a good kid and having to pull teeth to get him to speak up.

I find it interesting that we work on ways to keep the bullying out of schools, but seem to be "ok" with have one driving our kids' bus each day.

About a month ago, we had some really warm days and then one morning it was cold! The driver usually reaches our driveway at about 8:25-30 EACH morning, this day was no different. My kids head out to the busstop (my driveway)  between 8:15-20. This day was no different, except it was cold out, so they came back up to grab jackets.

By now they could see her at the intersection and they jumped off the steps, running towards the road. Now-- (Most) busdrivers see a kid sprinting for them, they stop; or you'd think they would? nope. She purposely slowed down, gunned the gas, two car lengths, slowing at my driveway and accelerating on---Kids chasing the bus still!

She drove the rest of the road around to the other stops (my road is a horseshoe shape) and I quickly walked them to the stop sign(Non bustop) directly in her path. When she stopped at us, my kids loaded the bus and I said to her, "MY bus stop, is the second driveway on the right."  She responds back in a nasty tone, "well were they at the bus stop?' I said, 'well no but..." she interrupts me yelling, 'if they aint at the stop then I DON'T STOP!'  I told her that she was going too fast and she argued "NO I DONT!" and for me to take it up with Transportation. I did.

I called transportation, they assured me that she would slow down through there, to make sure that she 'looked' for them. I assured her that my kids aren't ever not at the stop and that was that, until the Friday of SPRING BREAK.

I sat on the front porch with my kids waiting for busdriver to enter the neighborhood. Jeyce was chomping gum and I reminded him to spit it out so that he wouldnt get in to trouble. She made her usual right onto Greenwood blvd towards her turn around and Zoë /Jeyce headed to the end of my driveway -(to the right of my yard). As she passes me from where I sat, she slowed down and stopped at my driveway. I yelled (as I always do, "bye, love yall!'')  (I would like to be clear when I write this) (where my paved driveway ends, the road begins. there's literally a line. THE BUSdriver stops on the left end side of my drive.) My kids have always lined up on the left of the paved driveway, so the bus stops there.

They look back and wave bye to me, Zoë steps up on the steps, Jeyce follows, stepping up. At this point he remembers that he still has gum in his mouth, motioning his finger and says "hold on" he hopped down, and spit out his gum in the grass.

The busdriver shuts the door and starts rolling forward , with my 8 year old, 48" tall 50lb child running towards the side of the bus as she rolls by. She brakes and flings the door open, screaming, "YOU GETTIN' ON OR NOT????!!!!!!!'' To which he got on. There wasn't even time for him to sit, on her take off!  For me, I AM TOO FAR away from the bus, but nonetheless running towards the bus and screaming for her to stop and for Jeyce to get back. He gets on the bus as I'm screaming for him not to.

In that split second, anything could have happened! Jeyce was completely unaware of her intentions. He is a child. He darted off the bus, spit, turning and running back into the bus, not understanding 1. that she was leaving him and 2. that he could have easily been hit and pinned underneath.  He did what he thought he was supposed to (not having gum in his mouth entering the bus) and this busdriver thought she'd be spiteful and teach him some lesson -without regards to his safety or the fact that she allowed her temper or thoughtless actions to rule her.

I contacted transportation, spoke with Steve King, to which he replied that he would pull the tapes and get back to me.

I waited 2 hours and contacted non emergency Sheriff's dept, where they put me with Cpl WATKINS at Nkms. He said he would review tapes and get back. He did within the hour and Claimed that there wasnt any traffic violation that he could see to ticket her for, but agreed that she appeared to have done it for spite and that it was uneccessary.

After this, I asked Watkins , "If you were in my position how would you handle this?'' His reply was, "my response may not seem reasonable to you, but, my wife stays home. she takes our child to school." okay, yeah, not reasonable.

I hung up and called Steve King back since he still had not called me. he says to me, " i have looked at the tapes and do not see any wrong doing on drivers part."

me "you're joking, right?'

steve.: no, she was 15' from him and he never got on the bus.

me: my road isnt 15' across and he DID step on that bus! how can you tell he was 15' from the bus?

steve: no ma'am he did not. from the camera.

me: sir, I'm aware of the camera. where did it show from the camera that he was in fact 15' from the bus when she pulled off?

steve: the second window.

me: ok are you aware how tall he is? it was deliberate, she pulled off, with my child beside the bus. she was negligent and put his life in danger! Why would she even pull off in the first place?

steve: he didnt step on the bus. she assumed that he wasnt going.He was in her blind spot so she pulled off.

Me: are you kidding me??? your rule is to NoT allow a child off the bus without an adult there, but he can officially make the executive decision to get on the bus or not?! And he did get on the bus, he stepped up on the first step. What happened to the horn???

steve: the cam is on the steps, I NEED to pull the tapes again to verify he did in fact step up.

me: If you were positive he didn't, then why do YOU need to review the tape again? you know what? I WANT to know why you are backing her? She is wrong! She acted irrationally, was neglectful and you are making excuses for her negligence -that could have been at the expense of my son's life!! Matter of fact, I WANT to review the tape.

Steve: maam you may, but it will have to wait until after spring break. i can call you and schedule an appt.

me:Oh, I will call you, since you never called me back in the first place.

1. if I'm wrong I admit it. bottom line here, she acted irrationally and should have NEVER driven that bus an inch!!! why is that okay? why is this not a traffic violation?

2. how can we teach our kids not to bully or to speak out against it, when it's acceptable behavior coming from an adult that is responsible for our babies?

3. this man talked in circles, not once offering a fact, only excuses as to why his driver pulled away after both children with book bags on got on the bus, the second stepping off.

I am still angry, anxiety ridden over this. I will drive my children to / from school tomorrow, however, this is NOT my solution to this problem!! She has a job because my children ride the school bus. It is a privilege, her position, one that shouldnt be taken lightly. She doesn't deserve to be behind the wheel of an automobile, carrying 30± children. not to mention treating her route as though it's the GRTC.

Watching her roll past my driveway this morning made me even angrier. Where are my rights and more than that, HOW can I protect my children from a system that is severely in need of a CHANGE.

I APPRECIATE you taking the time to read my story and I hope that you have plenty to say about this!

Thank you,
Katie Adkins