NYAPT Deplores Bullying of School Bus Monitor

ALBANY, NY (06/22/2012)(readMedia)-- On June 20, 2012, thousands of Americans viewed a video showing several Greece Central School students harassing and bullying Karen Klein who works as school bus monitor on their bus. We are compelled to speak out as school transportation professionals dedicated to the safety of all who ride to school on yellow school buses.

First of all, we believe that the school district must conduct an investigation into this incident and take all necessary measures, including discipline where appropriate.

As school transportation professionals, we believe that school bus drivers and monitors perform a noble public service. They are the first school employees to greet students each morning and are the first line of safety for the more than 2.3 million New York children who ride yellow school buses each day. They are trained to perform their duties and carry them out with diligence and responsibility. They take their jobs seriously and care about the welfare and safety of the children entrusted to them on their buses.

School bus drivers and monitors are an integral part of the local school enterprise and deserve our respect and appreciation. They do not deserve to be treated in the ways that Ms. Klein was treated --- neither by students nor by other school employees.

We believe that there is no place for bullying of anyone on the school bus or in the school building. Accordingly, we are deeply concerned when students bully and harass one another and we are equally concerned when they give similar treatment to an adult who is looking out for their safety. This kind of behavior is not only inappropriate and offensive, but it also detracts from the safety of the other children riding on the school bus. That is simply unacceptable.

This is not the first such situation on a school bus and we must learn from it to help ensure it does not happen again. NYAPT will work with state officials, school district officials and our members to enhance the training that drivers and monitors receive to prepare them to effectively respond when such situations occur. Moreover, we will strive to ensure that such training is provided on a regular basis to prepare our teams adequately. The lessons we learn from this should be shared with drivers and school administrators and students so that such a situation does not happen again.

We urge parents and school employees and leaders to recognize the diligence with which these women and men perform their duties in transporting our children to and from school safely EVERY DAY of the year.

We urge those students to find it in themselves to apologize to Karen Klein and in so doing recognize the dedication of thousands of drivers and monitors whose mission is to keep all the children safe.

As the 2011-2012 school year comes to a close, we are reminded of the importance of school transportation in the lives and education of our children. We urge all parents and communities to recognize the hard work and teamwork that goes into ensuring safe passage for those 2.3 million children who ride buses to school.

Our thoughts go out to Karen Klein and all in the Greece Central School District school transportation operations.

NYAPT is a professional association dedicated to the development, support and representation of the professionals who are responsible for the safe and efficient transportation of our children to and from school each day. Our nearly 600 members are singularly committed to school bus safety and ensuring that our children are able to access the education to which they are entitled.