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I hope he doesn’t get a penny! As a student who went through the Guilford county school system and one who is now an honors student in college I think the kids got what they deserved. there is no way she just went crazy on some kids for no reason. they had to provoke her. this is the kids side of the story of course they are going to try to play the victim. kids these days are worst and worst every generation. I also graduated from Southern Guilford high school that school is great. as a student who was never in any trouble in any of my public education I say it is up to you the student to stay out of trouble. parent if you were that concerned then maybe you should have pushed harder to have something done those "previous times" when you reported something. i think this whole thing is a joke the kids more then likely got what they deserved.

Mr. Seals;

I read this story a couple of days ago and my immediate reaction was that the driver was probably verbally provoked but also out of line with her reaction. I have two children in the Guilford County system- one JES and the other at JMS. Over the years, my oldest son while in first grade never made it on the bus and at the time no one was able to locate him due to no radios on the bus system and cell phones not being provided. He was later located in the ACES program which he was NOT enrolled in and with the adult staff being unaware of having an extra student. The following year he was forced to clean his own vomit when he became ill on the bus going to a church based afterschool program- and no I did not send him to school sick that morning he was diagnosed the next day with strep throat. Last year, the AM route he was on was overcrowded with students standing since all of the seats were taken and that situation continued even with numerous phone calls to the transportation department. The most current episode has been when students were talking of the presidential election the bus driver commented saying that no one should vote for President- elect Obama because he was going to be shot and deserved to be. These incidents are only a few of what my son has told me and does not even encompass all that occurs and you are probably wondering why as a parent I continue to allow my children to ride the bus.

First of all, my husband and I both work. Both of my sons have been driven to school in the AM hours during preK- 5th grade years and the PM bus has been to an afterschool care progam that has been either the first or second stop and been adult supervised at the school and afterschool program. Not ideal but an acceptable compromise. My middle school child begged to take the AM bus with his friends and with trepidation my husband and I agreed. We continue to question him and fortunately he is willing to share his day.

I know this may not seem as profound of incidents as the story you have reported but my 8 year struggle with the Guilford County Transportation Department has been one of where the response is apathetic at best and immediately defensive. When there is a concern voiced from a parent the department does not come foward with a solution or even with recognising that you have a valid concern. I am left with feeling frustrated and as if I am wrong with even approaching the issue. Fortunately, I am a stubborn woman.

Good luck, with your investigation and please keep in mind that series of continued ignoring of small issues over time do and will snowball. Children learn life lessons from the "minor" incidents and we as parents and society have the opportunity to coach, compare and contrast to teach the greater lessons. I have learned with the transportation department it is a very good idea to continue to follow up and partner with the principal and of course with my children.

Amen brother, Amen

this is in response to educatedman my children have not been in touble for anything on the bus other than having problems with this bus driver she has been like this to my children since there was an attack on my child by an autistic child where he was punched from behind in the back of his head by said child it was not known to us that he was autistic we didnt want this child suspended from the bus after we found out but he was and from that day on the bus driver was rude disrespectful and called my chilren names the reason nothing has ever been said about her is that no one at the school or schoolboard or the transportatin dept does anything about these complaints that are filed about what goes on the buses i asked on two occasions for them to put a camera on the bus and i was ignored in any case it dont matter she should not have been calling them names or screaming at them nor put her hands on them they have it on tape they have 30 plus students that witnessed it she was the aggressor not the children and has a final thought if this bus driver had been white would you even speculate that it was the kids fault no you wouldnt and this would be all over every news organization in the world but becase she is black the schools and news are trying to sweep it under the rug just like they do with all the gang stuff