Florida Dad Who Boarded School Bus to Speak at National School Bus Conference

ALBANY, N.Y., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) today announced that James Jones, the Sanford, Florida father of the 12-year old girl with cerebral palsy who was bullied on her school bus, will address the school bus industry at its annual conference (Oct. 30-Nov. 4) in Portland, Oregon, by participating on Nov. 1 in a panel discussion about bullying.

NAPT also recommended a series of Parental Action Steps to deal with bullying incidents.

NAPT Executive Director Michael Martin said, "Bullying is harmful behavior that demands immediate action, not dismissing it as just 'kids being kids.' These incidents can cause long-term emotional harm, and some even involve physical assault. It occurs not just on school buses but many settings when bullies believe they can get away with it."  

"We are pleased that Mr. Jones accepted our invitation to meet with our industry and look forward to his insights.  The incident involving his daughter captured national attention and we hope this experience can be channeled into a productive discussion about how we can prevent bullying and, when it occurs, deal with it more effectively," Martin said.  

He explained that NAPT, the largest school bus industry group, believes that the yellow school bus is a critical link between the home and performance of children in the classroom.  Access to school bus transportation helps ensure access to educational service and attainment.  Bullying incidents on school buses or bus stops are detriments to a positive learning experience.  

"Bullying has many causes that are as complex as our society is today.  We don't have all the answers.  But as an industry committed to the safety of children and academic excellence we want to get as much advice as possible and share in finding solutions," he added.

Martin explained that school bus drivers are responsible for driving the bus safely; they are not chaperones or law enforcement officers. Most school buses now have cameras aboard that document incidents of bullying, and this helps schools identify those responsible.

"We all know that because of legal liability concerns and bureaucracy getting action is not always easy and can be frustrating.  But the answer can't be to board a school bus and threaten children," Martin said.   "The flip side is that school systems need to take bullying complaints seriously and respond quickly and effectively."

NAPT's Parental Action Steps on Bullying is intended to give parents suggestions for how to get action promptly but responsibly.   Bullying incidents understandably trigger strong emotional responses from parents.  NAPT urges parents to focus emotions into constructive action by first getting all the facts about the incident, collecting thoughts, and then being persistent in respectfully demanding a response.

1.  Report the Incident Immediately to the School.  Call the school and insist on speaking to the principal.  Follow up as many times as necessary until you actually speak with the principal.  Request that your child's classroom teacher be notified about the incident, and ask an approximate date for when you should hear back. Provide the following information:

-Your name and contact numbers

-Your child's name

-Date and location of the incident

-Detailed account of what happened -- the facts as you know them

-Names of parties involved

-Names of witnesses who can collaborate

-Police contact and report number (if a police report was made)

2.  Report the Incident to the School Bus Operator.  Call the school district's transportation department and ask to speak to the director or a supervisor.  Tell them your child reported to you an incident of bullying on one of their buses and ask that the driver be interviewed to get the facts.  Request that the findings be reported to the school principal, along with any videotape record from the bus (if there is one), with copies to you.  If you would like to talk directly to the school bus driver, ask that the driver or his/her supervisor call you.  

3.  Involve Law Enforcement (if necessary).  If the incident on the bus involved a threat of harm, or actual physical assault, contact local police immediately and fill out a complaint report, even before contacting the school principal.  This will create a public record and the police will investigate the incident.

4.  Schedule a Meeting with the Principal.  If you don't get action within a reasonable period (bullying is serious and response should be swift), ask for a personal meeting with the school principal to register your concern face to face and underscore your resolve.  Ask for the following:

-Copy of the student handbook

-Copy of the school district's bullying policies (if any)

-Copy of the school district's discipline code (if one exists)

-An assessment of how the investigation is proceeding (timeline, etc.) and expected resolution.

5.  Involve the School Superintendent (if necessary).  If the principal's response is unsatisfactory and/or not prompt, request a meeting with the superintendent of schools for your school district.  Bring along as many documented facts as possible, and request intervention.

For more information on bullying, go to www.naptonline.org.

SOURCE National Association for Pupil Transportation

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