Implement and Enforce Child Safety Programs in Georgia School Bus Transportation
- Target:
- Georgia Governor - Nathan Deal
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.thepoundsperspective.net
Georgia leads the NATION in child-fatalities related to school bus loading/unloading zones.
(source: National School Bus Loading and Unloading Survey).
1. GA Law requires fewer qualifications, less training and certification of local school system Directors of Transportation than that of a School Bus Driver.
2. GA Local school system Directors of Transportation are not required to implement "Best Practice" safety recommendations and GA Code has no clear enforcement and consequence policy.
3. Local school system Superintendents and Boards of Education do not consistently follow ethical or recommended best practices in dealing with student discipline and school system employee personnel matters - making decisions without analysis, discussion or review of factual data and onboard camera recordings of actual events.
4. The State-level school bus inspection process and requirements of school bus safety equipment (i.e., air brakes, safety lighting and entry/exit points) is of concern. Local School systems do not adhere to a consistent inspection-reporting process, which is readily available to the public for review.
5. Published articles indicate there is evidence of School Bus Drivers who fear retaliation (i.e., loss of job) if they report bus-related issues regarding safety or mechanical problems. If a school bus driver is fearful to report an unsafe condition - this has a DIRECT impact on the safety of children and the school bus driver.
6. Georgia does not have or enforce a state-level review & approval process to ensure School Bus stops (loading/unloading) zones are SAFE for our children - minimizing street crossings and potential for child injuries/deaths.
Dear Governor Nathan Deal,
We, the undersigned, call on you and Georgia's elected leaders, law enforcement and state/local departments of education to implement the following programs to address Child Safety issues relative to School Bus Transportation.
1. Develop and enforce state-mandated pupil transportation procedures to include job certification and educational requirements for ALL K-12 local school system Directors of Transportation. This program should include legal consequences for non-adherence to policies and procedures. Status of the development and enforcement (actions taken) to be made publicly available via the GA DOE website - by school system.
2. Develop and enforce a state-mandated school bus inspection reporting process (to include annual and monthly inspections) for every K-12 school system in GA. Bus inspection reports, by local system/district, to be made publicly available via the GA DOE or Motor Carrier Compliance Division website. This program should include a toll-free telephone number for school bus drivers, parents, community members to anonymously report safety & mechanical issues without fear of retaliation from local school system leaders.
3. Develop and enforce a state-mandated program requiring each K-12 local school system Director of Transportation to follow specific guidelines when selecting a school bus loading/unloading zone (bus stop). This program to include a requirement that each K-12 school system in GA submit a bus stop selection plan for approval by State Law Enforcement to ensure all safety guidelines have been followed. Program will include an approval process and clearly stated legal consequence for not adhering to program.
4. Develop and enforce a state-mandated training and certification program for all K-12 school system employees. This program to include - but not limited to -training on: 1. Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter, 2. Bullying, 3. CPR, 4. Emergencies (Weather, Evacuation, Terrorism, Drills). ALL training information and completion of training by school system employee shall be made publicly available on the GA DOE website.
5. Develop and enforce a state-mandated accident and injury reporting process for each local school system to report accidents/injuries to the State Director of Pupil Transportation and Law Enforcement. Each accident and injury to be fully reviewed by State-level officials to enforce actions for prevention of future incidents.
- All of the above to be required for Public AND Charter Schools.
- All programs above to be made publicly accessible to the public via Web reporting by school system - without having to submit GA Open Records request.
- All K-12 school systems NOT adhering to any program above will be clearly reported via the web and available to the public - without requirement of a GA Open Records request submission.
- A State-level agency (GA DOE, DOT, etc.) will be given clear authority and will be accountable to hold all K-12 school systems to the requirements for each of the programs listed above.
- Reporting and legal actions taken by the State-level agency will be made publicly available via the Web, to include date action taken, date action resolved or consequence of local school system's non-compliance.
We respectfully request quick implementation of all programs listed above to ensure the safety of our children. We do NOT want Georgia to lead the Nation in child deaths and injuries for 3-years running - relative to School Bus Loading/Unloading.
Thank you kindly,
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The Implement and Enforce Child Safety Programs in Georgia School Bus Transportation petition to Georgia Governor - Nathan Deal was written by Ray Pounds and is in the category Youth at GoPetition.