Letter to the Editor

Parents deserve answers on school bus questions

Monday, January 17, 2011

To the editor:

My daughter rides the bus home from BKC every day and usually arrives in front of First Baptist Church on Seventh Street in between 3:20 and 3:25 p.m. She has been late a couple of times, but no more than 15 minutes before her birthday Jan 14. On this day, she was extremely late, so I called the school and was able to reach Mr. Yarbrough, the school's principal. He informed me that her bus was running late and should be there shortly.

After 15 minutes passed, I called her school again with no answer. I tried several more times to reach Mr. Yarbrough to no avail. I then called the high school and the director of transportation, getting no answer. As I began to panic, thinking she might have got dropped at the wrong location, and just being 6 years old, I walked all over to the church and found a lady who worked at the school. She called the director and got no answer. A few minutes later, the bus finally shows up, and I was so relieved, but also worried that my daughter could have been lost.

So I put her in the car and proceeded to the administration office. A lady in the parking lot got a hold of the director at Central Elementary and informed him that I wanted to speak with him about my concerns. I arrived at Central Elementary and asked to speak to the director of transportation. I explained this to Merle Burnett, the director of transportation, and his answers to me were as follows:

"I've been doing this for 27 years. We thought another little girl was lost, but she just got off at the wrong bus stop. I cant discuss the other little girl any further because it's not your child, and if you don't like our service you don't have to use it."

I did not respond at the time and informed him that I would be going to the administrator's office and he replied. "If he even sees you, and when he does, he'll send you right back to me."

Mr. Burnett, I will now answer you. If you still have kids on buses, somebody needs to answer the phone. If your only answers are these after 27 years on the job, maybe you need to retire, and finally have a little heart and compassion when dealing with a parent or loved one concerned about the safety of a child!

Matt Chancery
Blytheville