unruly bus passengers
Shadowfax
910 Posts
Just curious how others saw the clip of the school bus driver and the juvenile delinquents. More evidence of the complete breakdown of respect for anyone or anything - and society would hold us hostage to our kids. No wonder we can't build prisons fast enough. We condone and defend lawlessness from an early age, why are we surprised when they assault and vandalize later?
Comments
My wife, being the tree hugger that she is #-o, managed a few "oh my gosh" and "that's terrible" gasps during the news cast last night. Opposites do attract. x:D
Gene
But, back to your 'hynie' kicking approach; can you give an example or two of behaviors that would rise to the level of that response? Take your time.
Second, no adult, not a bus driver or any other profession should have to put up with kids cursing and swinging at them. I'm not saying that it's right to swing back, but we need to provide an appropriate response to kids that are out of control.
This guy was in charge of getting the bus and kids safely from point A to B. The kids were being disruptive and refused an order to come to the front of the bus so that the disruption would stop.
This reminds me of the 5 year old (i think in Florida) that was kicking and swinging at a school official and the kid's mom got mad at the woman for blocking the kicks.
You have to be kidding me!
I'm the first in line to bitch about unaccountability and lack of discipline and lack of parental involvement, yada yada. But, that does not make the driver's behavior correct. Suspend the kids, fire the driver, provide more training, and move on.
I don't disagree that the driver should face reprocussions for his choice of response, it was also inappropriate.
I guess what you're hearing is collective frustration that "it's wasn't my kid's fault" seems to be the standard response whenever kids get out of line. Schools are afraid to discipline because of threats of litigation from the parents. The whole things just seems so out of control...and the kids know it! Putting everyone at a disadvantage.
AS HR people it is a concern because someday, these kids will be a part of our workforce..and if nothing is ever their fault it will be difficult to bring them into line in their late teens/early twenties.
The rest of the adult population was generally in the position of observing behavior, stopping it when inappropriate, but never, ever (at least in my experience) administering physical punishment. These folks did not hesitate to let your parents know when you were behaving badly, but they would not get physical.
So, I agree with Don on that one. I also agree that being held accountable is important, and, judging from the tiny little bit of these peoples lives that we got to see and hear about, these unruly children were getting away with it. I think the parents were right to be angry and upset with the bus driver, but they also need to address the behavior that led to the incident.
Nothing excuses the children's behavior but its understandable since we know the root cause of it. I do not understand the driver's behavior because I can't accept it as appropriate or excusable or logical under any circumstance.
My father only threatened to beat us, my mother spanked even if she suspected we'd done something wrong...I had two very different extremes. I administered 'capital punishment' to my kids only for defiant disobedience (per Dr. Dobson).
I feel for the driver, really I do, because those kids even had the nerve to say to him that he would go to jail for hitting them -- and this is after the older brother had punched the driver.
(Hey, it works at home....sometimes.)