By Dean Balderston

The driver never having driven this particular bus wanted to take some extra time familiarizing themself with it, so arrived early. Upon starting the bus a buzzer began to sound. The driver, recognizing the buzzer as an alert that an emergency exit was open, began to explore and secure each exit to fix the problem. The driver was unsuccessful in getting the buzzer to stop sounding even though the exits were closed. Running late and having completed the rest of the pre-trip inspection of the bus, the driver decides to take the buzzing bus to the school to load the passengers.

The athletes began to become agitated at the sound of the buzzer as they wait to depart the school, and so did the coaches. The driver tried to explain that he didn't know why the buzzer was sounding. One of the coaches now completely irritated and frustrated about the noise and the possibility of being late to their event decided to take the matter into their own hands and called the transportation supervisor at home. The coach dominated the conversation demanding to know why they had been given a broken bus. The coach explained what was happening on the bus, and then demanded that they be given an "Activity" bus rather than this "Route" bus. The transportation supervisor explained, that if the driver would shut off the bus and then restart it, the computer would reset itself and the buzzer would stop. The coach was insistent that they did not have time for an experiment and demanded a different bus. The transportation supervisor gave into the demands of this person and told them that they could go to the bus shop and get another bus, one that the coach knew to be an "Activity" bus. This seemed to satisfy the coach.

Back at the bus shop, the driver parks and turns off the buzzing menace and retrieves the other bus. During the unloading and loading of the athletes, equipment and coaches, this same coach said to a group of athletes, "This is why you need to stay in school." The athletes and coaches now riding in a cold but less noisy bus reach their destination and return home without further incident.

I can appreciate the stress of the coach fearing that the buzzing bus may break down and cause them to miss their event. However, the last comment by the coach bothers me. I mean, just what was he trying to say to the athletes? Was he indicating that the driver was stupid because he could not figure out how to stop the buzzer? If so, then why with the coaches "Superior" education, couldn't he figure out how to shut it off? Or was he saying that the driver was stupid because he chooses to drive a school bus? Well, what's so shameful about driving a school bus? Wow, is that it? Is driving a school bus shameful? Why? I'm reminded of how sanitation workers have had to struggle to receive respect for the job they perform. They have had to overcome society's question, "Who, with any intelligence, would want to handle someone else's garbage?" If school bus drivers are viewed with the same shame, the question then is, "What is so horribly wrong with today's children that it is shameful to transport them?"

If our driver not only is a high school graduate but has post graduate trainings in several areas, then we have to assume that the shame is not education or intelligence. If intelligence and education are not a factor we have to determine that there is another reason why driving a school bus is shameful. The only other reason I can find is our cargo must be faulty. Much like the refuge of the sanitation worker, children are our trash to transport.

Now I of course do not feel that children are trash or that it is shameful to transport them to school or activities. But how do we get the rest of society to feel the same way? How do we teach our children that all people, no matter what job they have, are to be treated with respect? It starts with us, the parents, and then moves to all who work with them such as teachers, coaches, mentors, counselors, clergy and medical professionals.

School bus drivers take a great risk every time they get behind the wheel. Imagine the feelings of regret, anger, depression and responsibility of a driver having an accident and hurting or killing even just one student. Now imagine knowing that possibility is real and still choosing to get in that bus day after day. Could you do it? Not many can. So, if you see a school bus driver show him or her the respect they deserve for all the hard work they do in making sure that your son, daughter, niece, nephew, granddaughter or grandson are kept safe and sound going to and from school or activities.