How upset would this make you?

[ilovepcot]

http://www.theledger.com/article/20...ts-Lakeland-Student-5-On-Bus-by-Mistake-Twice


Teacher Puts Student, 5, On Bus by Mistake Twice

LAKELAND | A Griffin Elementary kindergarten teacher is under investigation for twice mistakenly placing a 5-year-old student on a school bus, which drove her to an empty home at a North Lakeland apartment complex.
In August, Kaylee Mitchell was dropped off by a bus and wandered the Cambridge Cove apartment complex, where she lives, for an hour knocking on doors in search of her mother. A resident took her to the office manager who called the girl's mother, Lee Ann Mizell.
"They were going to speak with a teacher and Kaylee was going to be on everyone's radar," Mizell said.
"It would never happen again," Mizell said district officials told her.
Kaylee was again mistakenly placed on the bus on Nov. 5. This time, two men at the complex brought her to the office manager who again called Mizell.
But before Mizell got home, school officials realized their mistake, returned to the complex and picked up Kaylee.
"I was in shock over the whole thing," Mizell said.
The outgoing blue-eyed blond girl is in a YMCA after-school program at Griffin for several hours until her mother gets off work.
Kaylee's kindergarten teacher, Aster Ratunil-Stowell, is under investigation for placing Kaylee on the bus both times.
Ratunil-Stowell, 47, has worked for the district since 2003. She did not return a telephone message seeking comment.
Charlene Brinson, senior director of elementary education, has completed an internal investigation and turned it over to Superintendent Gail McKinzie.
Brinson declined to discuss the investigation.
Griffin Principal Terry Broadnax apologized for the mistake.
Broadnax said a paraprofessional at Griffin will now escort Kaylee and the other children in the after-school program to the program's location, which is connected to the school.
"We regret that it happened," Broadnax said.
Mizell said Kaylee has a new kindergarten teacher. She considered enrolling her in Sleepy Hill Elementary but then decided it was unsafe because the after-school program wasn't connected to the school and students had to be walked to the nearby YMCA.
Mizell said she distrusts district officials now.
"My fear is they will do this to another child and they (a child) won't be located," Mizell said.

 

[redrosesix]

Wow -- just wow

Sounds like it should be a criminal offence to misplace a child like this. I'm sure a parent would lose custody if they made a similar mistake.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

I would personally be VERY upset at the school and officials..something similar happened to us last year with the girls.

Both I and DF work full time so last year we had the girls in a daycare that picked them up from school and we would pick them up around 530-6pm. Well twice the school told them that the parents had already picked them up and WE HAD NOT!!! The first time I didn't find out until I went to pick them up from daycare and they weren't there! I was in a panic trying to find my girls at 530pm when school was over at 205pm!! Thankfully the school had realized their mistake and called my FIL to pick them up.

The second time they tried this the daycare called me on their cell to confirm I had picked them up and I had NOT again. I immediately called the school and had someone find my children! The stupid school had put them in the bus line and when they "found" them my oldest was arguing with the "monitor" that they DID NOT ride a bus in the afternoon and refusing to get on the bus or let them put her sister (in preK at the time) on the bus!

I "visited" the school board offices to "discuss" the issue and we didn't have anymore issues that year. This year DF changed his work schedule so we dont need daycare anymore and can keep a better eye on the school lol.

 

[ilovepcot]

Angela...your entire post made me feel lightheaded. That's why young people have little ones. We "older folk" don't have hearts that could take it!

 

[ilovepcot]

Wow -- just wow

Sounds like it should be a criminal offence to misplace a child like this. I'm sure a parent would lose custody if they made a similar mistake.

We think alike. I know there are many women who are "bad people" and it's not only men who commit crimes against children, but the part of the article that mentions how *2 men* helped the child the second time she was lost nearly turned my blood to icewater! We all know how that "could" have gone.

 

[C.Ann]

That about covers it..

 

[brittanyherndon]

it brings back the memeory of when I was a kid and the bus driver took me home vrs the day care and after a while the bus driver droped me off at a neighbors and boy was my mom and dad mad keep in mind I was three and also speached delay so I could not comunicate with the bus driver

 

[luvmy3]

Criminal charges for a mistake? Seems a bit harsh.


I'd like to know the protcols put in place by the school. Our K students have tags on their backpacks to let them know what bus to go on, and what stop they are dropped off. Also the bus driver is not to let the student off the bus unless there is a parent or guardian waiting. If this teacher had been there since 2003 without any other incident like this, I think its a but harsh to think she should be treated like a criminal. Maybe this should be a wake up call to the school to put procedures in place to ensure this never happens again.

 

[pilotwife_02]

VERY scary and makes me very thankful that I have a flexible schedule at work so I can pick up my child from preschool and take him to my friend's house who watches him for me until I get home.

 

[brittanyherndon]

VERY scary and makes me very thankful that I have a flexible schedule at work so I can pick up my child from preschool and take him to my friend's house who watches him for me until I get home.

You are truly blessed

 

[Minnie_me]

In our district, if a teacher makes a mistake like that (and let me emphasize - MISTAKE - she did NOT do this on purpose), the bus driver will catch it when s/he drops the child at home.

We don't let any child off a bus unless we see signs that someone is home.

Why isn't the bus driver shouldering any of the responsibility here?

 

[agnes!]

I don't think I would call this episode a 'mistake'. A mistake might happen once...but this is the second time that this particular child has been misplaced. And maybe there could be other incidents with other children that have not been publicized.

agnes!

 

[Minnie_me]

I don't think I would call this episode a 'mistake'. A mistake might happen once...but this is the second time that this particular child has been misplaced. And maybe there could be other incidents with other children that have not been publicized.

Seriously? You're saying that if you do the same wrong thing twice, that it's no longer a "mistake"? It's tough to get Kinder students on their buses. I've been doing it for almost 25 years. Some kids' schedules change every single day. And when you have upwards of 30 kids to put on the right bus....it can get really confusing.

People make mistakes. Sometimes twice -- sometimes more than that! I'm astounded that criminal charges are being considered here.

And again, I'm wondering why the bus driver isn't being disciplined for letting a child off when there was no adult present?

 

[mmackeymouse]

I am with Minnie, here.

I really think it was an honest mistake(s). Now, it could have ended up being a tragic mistake, and thank God it didn't, but I don't think there is anything sinister going on here.

It does not say in the article, but it COULD be that perhaps some days, she was supposed to take the bus home (otherwise how would the bus driver know where the little girl lived?) The teacher needs to be held accountable, yes, but criminal charges? I think it is harsh.

I mean, when you think of how many kids and schedules that the teachers have to keep track of, it is pretty impressive that there aren't more mistakes made. Back when I was in school, Kindergarteners were not allowed on the buses. Parents were required to pick them up.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

I am suprised that a bus driver can drop off a child in Kindergarten without an adult being there to get the child. Where I live, an adult must be at the bus stop for children in Kindergarten. If there isn't an adult, the bus driver radios the bus office & they call the school, the bus driver then has to bring the child back to school after finishing the bus route.

When my oldest (9th grade now) was in Kindergarten, his teacher put him on the wrong bus in January after the morning/afternoon switch. She put him on the bus that he had been on for morning Kindergarten. My son didn't think anything of it because he knew that bus driver. I was at the bus stop waiting for him, the bus door opened & all the kids got off but not my son, the door closed & the bus drove away. I almost had a heart attack! I asked the kids where my son was & they said he wasn't on the bus. I called the school & they said he wasn't there & they weren't very helpful at all. Then I got a call from the bus co. saying my son was on his old bus & the driver would bring him home after the route. The driver felt terrible & said how sorry she was. She said she didn't think anything at first because she was used to seeing him. Then it occured to her he might be on the wrong bus, but then again maybe he was going to a friends. So she asked him where he was going & he said home. She told him he would be the last stop. She didn't want him to be upset about being on the wrong bus, so she didn't say anything about it until she brought him home. I sent the teacher a note about what happened & she replied it is the students job to get on the correct bus. Really, in Kindergarten? So I called the principal & asked what the procedure was & I was told that the teachers have a chart for each day of the week (some students have different schedules on different days) & the teacher reads off each bus # & then the names of the students to get on that bus. The students then get in line for that bus #. I then told her what happened to my child & what the teacher's response was. I also told her that I had called the school when my son didn't get off the bus & all I was told was he wasn't still at school. The principal said she would talk w/the teacher & get back to me. Turns out that the teacher had every day correct but the one day my son was on the wrong bus. The teacher didn't even change it after what happened. I guess she felt it must have been my son's fault, he must have gotten in the wrong line. I always wondered if she would have tried to put him in that same line the next week. Of course, I reminded my son what his new bus # was every morning for a long time after that.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

I don't know how it is elsewhere but here the bus has a bus stop and doesnt drop the kids off in front of their houses (if only lol). Since there are prolly around 20 kids at the girls stop the driver has no clue what parents are present (there are two Kinders that actually walk home alone which makes me personally cringe). Beyond that the fact that it is another mile to my actual house from the bus stop. I guess unless it is YOUR child it seems like it isn't too big of a deal, but alot can happen in a mile so I'd be BEYOND angry if my girls were sent home on the bus versus where they should have been sent. I expect the school to watch my children JUST as closely as I would while they are in the schools care.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

I don't know how it is elsewhere but here the bus has a bus stop and doesnt drop the kids off in front of their houses (if only lol). Since there are prolly around 20 kids at the girls stop the driver has no clue what parents are present (there are two Kinders that actually walk home alone which makes me personally cringe). Beyond that the fact that it is another mile to my actual house from the bus stop. I guess unless it is YOUR child it seems like it isn't too big of a deal, but alot can happen in a mile so I'd be BEYOND angry if my girls were sent home on the bus versus where they should have been sent. I expect the school to watch my children JUST as closely as I would while they are in the schools care.

Where I live, on the first day of school, the bus driver reminds parents that an adult has to be at the bus stop at drop off or she can't let the child off the bus.

 

[KandD]

Seriously? You're saying that if you do the same wrong thing twice, that it's no longer a "mistake"? It's tough to get Kinder students on their buses. I've been doing it for almost 25 years. Some kids' schedules change every single day. And when you have upwards of 30 kids to put on the right bus....it can get really confusing.

People make mistakes. Sometimes twice -- sometimes more than that! I'm astounded that criminal charges are being considered here.

And again, I'm wondering why the bus driver isn't being disciplined for letting a child off when there was no adult present?

I'm surprised that nothing was really said about the bus driver either. I can understand it happening at the beginning of the year but at this point wouldn't the driver notice that they had never had that particular student on the bus before?
I agree that this is just a MAJOR mistake. I hope the school reviews their dismissal policies, obviously the teacher needs a hand getting everyone to where they need to be.

 

[MiniGirl]

I think it is terrible, but like some of you have mentioned, it should've never gotten to that point. In our district, there are many layers of protection in place to make sure sometehing like this doesn't happen. At school, the teachers put stickers on the K bus students with their name and bus number on it. Before general dismissal, responsible 6th grade students go to the K classes to escort the Kindergarteners to their buses. (At this time, another 6th grader brings the after care K students to their room as well.) If the bus driver doesn't know them (or their sticker match in case of a substitute), they don't get on the bus. K students are then seated in the first 2 rows on the bus, and are not allowed off the bus until a parent (or babysitter) shows up at the bus stop. If no parent shows, the child is taken back to school and parents notified. Finally..... the parent tells the child what s/he will be doing. I worked with my child to make sure they knew what bus number they were on and what the bus driver looked like. In this instance, I would have made sure my dd knew not to get on a bus. If someone tried to put her on a bus, I'd tell her to tell every adult within earshot that she doesn't ride the bus.

Our district isn't perfect. (A friend's son was left out on the playground twice when he was in 1st grade.) I don't think blame for this, though, should fall primarily on the teacher. Thankfully, the little girl is alright, and hopefully, mom and others will work with her to help her understand what her after school routine is.