Let's Demand Bus Monitors on ALL Savannah Chatham County's School Buses!

We the parents and community of the Savannah Chatham County School district are demanding reform on all school bus routes:

1. We demand that every school bus route be shortened:
Students are spending two hours or more on bus routes, for distances that are 30 minutes or less away. Shorter routes equals to limiting the amount of students on a route, which will help in behavioral management.

2. We demand every bus route have a trained bus monitor: There are numerous/dangerous incidents that occur while the students are riding the bus unsupervised. It is impossible to expect a bus driver to manage and keep the environment safe, and simultaneously ensure that children reach their destination safety . We believe bus cameras are a passive measure to manage students. We demand Chatham County take a proactive measure, ensuring trained staff, keep and maintain the order and safety on the bus.

We demand a required bus orientation: Prior to the beginning of the school year, students should attend a required orientation to ride their bus, which could be:

a. A mock school bus route where the students meet their bus driver and bus monitor, bus rules and expectations are presented to each child. The children are also informed about bus safety and security, etiquette ( social skills: how to ride appropriately, sit, interact etc.) and given assigned seats on the bus.

b. A required online presentation with an attached quiz to ensure completion and understanding.

c. A scheduled orientation coordinated within each school during the first days.  The buses could visit the school during school hours, and students could get their bus orientation.

3. We demand documented consequences for those students who disobey the established bus expectations. Being in a vehicle of any kind is a very serious matter, and any student who disrupts the safety of students while being transported home should face consequences.