School Bus Safety Do you have a child who rides the school bus to school?
...As I think about the Montgomery County school policy that authorizes leaving children alone at bus stops without any adult present, I wonder about the law – can parents legally leave 5 year olds home alone?
Why no, they cannot. In fact, my oldest is 7 and according to the state law right here in Montgomery County, MD, I cannot leave her home alone until she is 8 years old yet my public school system can leave her alone at a bus stop?
I’m confused. And mad as hell. But hey, at least I know the policy
http://www.wiredmomma.com/2013/10/school-bus-safety/#.UkrdYKzD9f0
My younger one's bus driver doesn't let kids off the bus unless there's an adult/older sibling there OR he knows they live right up the block (or their parents have said it's OK) OR they're older than 8-ish. I've taken some grief in the past from school staff who thought it was ridiculous of me to try to make sure I was at the bus stop for my then-younger-than-8YO, and was in fact told that he wasn't allowed to keep them on the bus as it wasn't MCPS policy. Given that our bus stop has been the scene of some minor arson over the past couple of years, I'm more than happy that he does this.
ReplyDeleteLast year on one occasion a substitute driver let off a little boy who no longer even lived in the neighborhood; eventually I walked him home with my kids and drove him back to the neighborhood school as there really was nothing else to be done - he didn't even know a phone number where we could reach a parent. :-(
So now you have me wondering.....