fist i regret not writing about all the problems i have gotten since the beginning of this school term only.but i will start with my current issues,it is rediculas and definately stressing my family out cause nothing is being done about it.
well on wed. his therpist and the bus showed up at the same time so the terapist said she would get him for me.when she took my son off the bus sleeping the matron said, he bit,hit and scratched her,today i said really how?the terapist told me she said he was just being bad. i thought i would ask her tommorow and appoligise. well thursday we had snow so at 7:10 the bus did not come so i called at 8am and asked for a estimate the lady said she not sure she will call when.... well 10 min. later she called back and said the weather is nasty am i sure i will send him i said yes,she said ok it will be there.the school had an event the kids practiced and parents planned so they did not cancel.anyway at 9:30 i called the school to let his teacher know e still waiting for the bus and i might not bw comming, she said his bus was thw 1st to arrive at the school this morning.
well i called the company and asked to speak to the owner they took a mess he ner called,so i callled back 4pm and finally spoke to him he claimed the driver stated he waited 6mins. and left (impossible)i know this is a lie cause he would be stupid to do that not call or toote the horn just wait and then leave not even normal. I called DOT to put in the complaint they said the system was dwn. then they said they would call me back when it is up i thought it was pointless to give all that info without getting a claim# or anything so i said ok no call back yet.(that was yesterday)
well today at 7:10am at i called to make my son will be picked up the lady insisted he would be in a very nasty voice, she also said by a different driver.so i called again at 8am to get an estimate and she asked me for the bus # and the drivers name, i said how would i know u did say she said hold.another call came on the line from the bus comp. so i picked up and right away i heard the owner saying loud and clear stop Fu.... calling me u driving me Fu... crazy! then a woman said mam the bus is outsaid for your son get out there it is 2 houses up on the opposite side of the street.
well i get there and right away the matron says to my son u going to be good today? then she said u know he bit and cratch me look! a little scratch was on her hand close by the thumb.i said why/ she said i dont know he is bad everyday someone has to pull him off me and he always crawl under the seats and stuff.i said really your sister never said this(his old matron was her sister)much nicer and calmer she looks angry and talks too aggressive.anyway i called the school them to are unwear of these sudden behaviors my son has on the bus
I know for a fact when i put my son in his car seat it is the most calming time for him and neither myself or the school has seen him upset to the point where he gets that kind of aggressive.however he has been changing his behaviors after school lately the therapist and notice he always gets off the bus sleeping . so it is hard to think he is giving alll this problem but fast asleep. then he get upset and cries more than usually. i'm now having all sorts of thoughts so bear with me.
tell me your thoughts i know i'm not reading to much into this !
i will end here this is the short story,but i have to get this off my chest!
sonia!
i know my post is probly too long but the situation is getting worst. this evening when i went to get him off the bus the matron handed him to me asleep. so i asked her how was he today she replied he was acting up as usual in school,but he was fine on the bus.so iwent in the house an immediately call the school to ask if they was a problem. there was a problem alright, before i could ask the teacher if he had a problem getting on the bus she said the matron comfronted her and asked did she tell me that my son was attacking her on the bus. the teacher said no and she went off on her to the point where it was creating a seen so the teacher told her this was not oppropriate and walked away. his teacher went on to tell me she was loud and aggressive with her and she felt treatened by her , so now we are both worried about my sons safety on that bus with her. his school is 30mins. drive from my house and i dont know what to do?
please guys any advice or thoughts on the situation!
sonia!
Oh Sonia, we have the same exact problems. Our kindergartener has been kicked off the special ed bus because of his special needs. Isn't that just crazy? I swear it's the aide on the bus. Yes, he should not be kicking, hitting, exposing himself, but he is on the special ed bus for a reason. I am just documenting everything and working on getting a new aide. You would think it would be easy...Is there any way that you could take your son to school until you can get the bus situation worked out? I would be very hesistant to put my child into the care of someone who is obviously so hostile and unsympathetic.
This seems like an issue that you might need take up with spec. ed. director at your son's school. If the school has contracted this bus company, then they should be making sure that the students are being treated appropriately, and that the bus is picking the children up in a timely manner each day.
I am sorry that I don't have more to offer, but I hope that you are able to work things out quickly.
it is by no means an easy task! I guess it gets even harder when it is on the bigger bus an the child is in kidergarden . but what seems straight forward for us is pulling teeth for others. it is just so frustrating and tiresome!Isn't it illegal to kick a special needs kid off of the special needs bus. I think that in my state, the school has to provide transportation in whatever way is safe for the child. I don't that kicking the child off and not offering transportation at all is a choice for the school system.
Even last week when my school was let out early at 12 noon but no other school in the system was let out (we were let out for a funeral of a teacher killed in a car accident) the special needs bus had to come out early and provide transportation to the students that ride it.
I don't think there can ever be a reason to deny transporation services to a special needs child. You might want to check on this.
well once again we all discussed it and the solution is to have that matron off the bus. I treatened not to put my son back on the bus and it got imediate attention, but u guys will not believe todays story, this is a circle thats on going. i will post the details latter i just have a huge head ache now over this so i will take a rest.
sonia!
I'm so sorry this is happening, Sonia!!!
My advice, as usual, is document, document, DOCUMENT! Write down the date, approximate time, and exactly what happened each day...Only the FACTS as you know them. Write down your personal observations, and write down exactly what was said by the bus company person who cursed at you...Put it in quotations, word for word, but only exactly what you are sure of. Write down the conversation between you and your son's teacher and that you BOTH fear for your son's safety.
If at all possible, get the full name of the bus drivers, assistants, the person who cursed you out on the phone. Get the numbers of the buses. These are probably on the front and back of the buses, and there may also be a handicapped sign on the special ed buses.
Ideally, a formal typed letter of complaint with all of this info should be sent to the school district's department of transportation, your school principal, the director of special education services, and the company who transports your children. Perhaps your son's teacher would help you to write it. Print out this thread and take it with you to her. Stick to the facts. Do not be emotional other than your serious reservations about the transportation your son and the other children are receiving in addition to your fear for his safety.
At the end request an IEP meeting with as many of the above named parties as possible to resolve this issue. Acknowledge that your son may have some "behaviors" but the bus ride has never been an issue before, so you want to sit down and figure out how to make things better for everyone. Wrap it up by saying something like, "It is my leagal right to have my child safely transported to and from school on a regular schedule, and I should not have to be afraid of what may be happening on the bus to possibly harm him or provoke unacceptable behavior."
Sorry so long! Good luck!
Did you file the complaint the other day when no one came to pick your son up? I am not familiar with school systems that contract out with bus systems, so I don't really know what the chain of command is there. I guess that I would call an IEP meeting and ask to have the bus driver present so she could explain these behaviors. Go at it like you want to address the behaviors and get a plan going for behaviors on the bus. She what happens. Maybe this lady will quit but you have to keep all this documentation of everything that has happened, keep in contact with his school and teacher, and make complaints when anything out of the norm happens. If he is in a car seat on the bus, how is he crawling under the seats. If she can't handle this behavior on the bus, then maybe there needs to be an aid on there. Demand a new bus driver or company, Tell the school you feel that your son is not safe after what you heard about the driver yelling at the teacher, who knows what she does to children when no one is there. I would do it NOW . I would not let my son on her bus again.Actually it is not illegal to kick a child with special needs off of a sped bus. If the child interferes with the safe operation of the bus and has had warnings, it is legal. I am going this route now: My son has always been on bus in a safety seat and now he is not. There is one aide to 9 students. They were at fault and need to provide another opportunity that is fair for Nick. I think it will work. Payne was in a car seat until last year so that he couldn't get up and wonder around to be disruptive. He has gotten the Exceptional Student award for 2 months already this year for good behavior on his bus. I'm so proud of him. That is a big deal considering what we went thru a few years ago.