MORE Big Brotherism! Grrr!

[b]If the bus system works well for you, & you know they're safely monitored, that's all well & good. But a lot of them aren't, & I would refuse to force any child to enter those mini-hells on wheels, where students are rowdy, & injuries & even rape occur. No, it's not every bus, but I wouldn't risk my kid (if I had one) becoming a statistic. Why aren't bikes allowed? My goodness! What's wrong with bikes? And I'm also puzzled as to why if it's not considered safe to let them come to school, but the same route home is just fine? I know there's probably more traffic (to work) in the morning, & less when kids leave school, but I'm sure it's still a busy street, yes? It doesn't take a crowded road--just one negligent driver, after all--to blot out a life forever. You let your boy walk to school, but what if the school told you he wasn't allowed to? I see that as weird on their part, personally. If the parent deems it safe, the parent has the say-so, not the school. It isn't their responsibility, as he's out of their legal jurisdiction when he's not on school grounds or on a guarded field trip. That was always the case here-to-fore, at least. But more & more, now, the government is telling parents they don't know best how to rear their own families--"Government knows best." That's what's at the base of my alarm, here. Also, what if you couldn't "collect" him? Does he have to stay late? How late? If, for example, you had a job, & you knew you'd be home by the time he returned, & so he wouldn't be a "latch-key" child, you should consider yourself a caring, attentive parent, & again, this is your home, your child, & you should have the right to make arrangements as you see fit. Or perhaps you'd prefer he go with a trusted family friend, if you couldn't be there at the usual hour. What would the school do then? By law, they can't legally let a non-custodial person take a child. But he could walk home, provided he's a responsible child (which, being your child, I'm certain he is! ) What then? And I don't think its a teacher's job to take him home; there might be several kids--is it fair to extend (unpaid) his or her day? How many teachers would be needed for this? No, this raises waaay too many questions & objections in my mind. Nice of them to at least help pay for the gas, but it's still intrusive. My feeling is, though, that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, & I've seen countless other such "good intentions" end up squeezing the freedom out of us, & hurting us in other ways. You asked me a question re geezers? Sorry, I must have missed it. I know I explained it to someone who...uhoh...geezer moment, ya think? Well, it's okay to use the term if that's what you asked. After all, I use it on myself! Maggiepie STALKERS WILL BE EATEN BY AN ATTACK CAT!___^..^

You misunderstood a bit there but it was my fault as I meant to say he walks to the school bus stop in the morning. It makes sense that they are not the schools responisility until they arrive there so they must be certain about how they leave. Our law has nothing about non custodial people picking the children up, the school has 3 designated people to call if I'm not available, none of them relatives. When I talked about a teacher bringing him home it's not happened except the time my friend the computer teacher brought him back when he came to look at my computer. But 3 of the teachers there are personal friends anyway, the way it is in small areas. I actually think the school system here is excellent compared to what I saw in the UK, the key is the children have respect for the teachers and learning is valued. In contrast your school buses sound horrendous, ours are mini buses, no rowdiness allowed at all, and run very well except when the driver was on strike for a month in May. I know my son is safe there and well loved by the teachers.

Had another look back over your response, I really don't see any sinister in our school system which shows the government are interfering with parents bringing up the children. It is a parents responsibility to ensure they collect their child from school and their responsibility not to be late, if I was detained by work it is only a phone call to ask a friend to collect him. I think rules go to far when someone other than the parent isn't allowed to collect but I realise it isn't safe like it is here over your way.

The bus is under the control of the driver. I have seen drivers wait until all children were seated and I have seen drivers that start up while children are still walking down the aisle, looking for a seat. Not requiring seat belts in buses is why there are so many injuries and deaths when there is a school bus accident. They can fine or arrest a parent for not buckling up a child, but the school's transportation companies can endanger their lives daily. It certainly does not make sense.

[b]You've got that right! I have long railed against this "oversight (for want of a more appropriate term)." And just because some drivers (probably even most) are good drivers, you still only need one who refuses to make the kids sit & behave, to take out a whole busload of victims. I know if I were a parent, I'd find out whatever I could about the driving record of my kid's appointed driver, if I had to tail the bus to see what goes on in it myself! Maggiepie STALKERS BEWARE! ATTACK CAT INSIDE!___^..^

[b]Ditto to that! As for the school buses, I don't think kids should be required to ride those until the schools are prepared to get the kids under control. It's really simple: the driver doesn't go until they're in their seats & behaving themselves! And why is it those buses are not equipped with safety belts?? Maggiepie "GLOBALLY ACCEPTABLE 'TRUTH'" IS UNAMERICAN![/b]

[b]Oh yeah. We be too duh-uuuumb... Gah. I fear a lot of us are becoming sheep, having been programed by the nanny state to always look to the government to protect us from the wolves. The fact is, the government has become the ravening pack of wolves. Maggiepie STALKERS BEWARE! ATTACK CAT INSIDE!___^..^

[b]In which case, any sensible parent would know this & handle it by arranging transport or by going to the school with the child. But no school has the right to dictate such a thing! (Oh, & any parent who isn't sensible would be worthy of censure, because of child endangerment--so it's still not in the school's purview.) Maggiepie "GLOBALLY ACCEPTABLE 'TRUTH'" IS UNAMERICAN! [/b]

[b] I'm sure you do! I'll be waiting! Maggiepie "GLOBALLY ACCEPTABLE 'TRUTH'" IS UNAMERICAN! [/b]

I am hundred percent with you on this. We all could have done with some exercise like the children in America get a chance to do. We simply dont have that opportunity, and that is why America is great. But here you all are. Trying to transform America into what we dont want it to be! Please keep it the way it is so that we know what we have to work towards. I think parents should ask the government to pay for children's future medical insurances if this is what the State expects children to do. As it is diabetes in children is on rise. Terrible thought.