School bus driver training raises interesting questions

Merced, California

Approximately 20 school bus drivers in the Los Banos Unified School District were trained by law enforcement on how to respond to a gunman attacking their bus.  The training was done by the Mercer County Sheriff's Department.  The training was reportedly designed to give the bus drivers "hands-on, practical skills for dealing with a gunman on a bus."

"We go over mentality of active shooters. We give statistics of past incidents, the do's and the don'ts. We give strategies for survival and basically we go over scenarios," said a department spokesman.

The Transportation Director said, "We're not in a classroom, we're in a bus, I think it all applies. The same thing that could happen in the classroom could happen on a bus."

The spokesperson added, "Eventually, our goal is for all districts to have a template and the know-how to preserve life in dealing with active shooters."

Yesterday I blogged about the furor over a driver who witnessed a beating on his bus. Yesterday's blog, and today's story exemplify the problem facing education today.  Educators. 

I have been an educator for 25 years, and I have the utmost respect for for my fellow educators for the dedication, professionalism, and caring they show everyday.  However, as a former Infantry Drill Sergeant and Infantry platoon leader, they are not the most tactically proficient people.  The same mindset that allows them to develop rapport with their students and care deeply enough to spend long hours teaching and grading papers is at odds with the mindset needed to face interpersonal violence and function.

In Staying Alive, a book I co-authored with Mike Dorn and Sonayia Shepherd, we talk about how to develop that mindset.  We talk about the importance of training, including scenario training.  However, it has to be realistic.  Active Shooter incidents are very rare.  Active Shooter incidents on school buses are even more rare.  The various techniques for remaining calm under stress are critical, as is the setting in which these techniques are taught. 

In this type of setting the people who are being taught, with no tactical background, will remember the skills learned in the context of an Active Shooter.  Thus a similar but markedly different scenario, such as a student holding a gun to his own head, will most likely spark a tactical response not suited to the scenario.  Such a reaction may spark a more violent reaction than intended, or wanted.

Active Shooter training sounds 'sexy', but is a very small subset of school violence.  As a precursor to further training, training like this can be great.  As a way to train people to react in all crises, it's not so good.

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/08/04/3140641/shooter-on-a-school-bus.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/08/04/3140641/shooter-on-a-school-bus.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/08/04/3140641/shooter-on-a-school-bus.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/08/04/3140641/shooter-on-a-school-bus.html#storylink=cpy

 

Child Abduction Digest 4-24-13

The Transportation Director for Henderson County is interviewed on how school bus drivers can respond to various bus incidents like hostage situations

An 8-year old boy survived an attempted abduction in Waddell, AZ.  He kicked and screamed as a man tried to pull him into an SUV while his brother and some friends threw rocks at the vehicle

A 12-year old girl from Bay of Plenty, HI, escaped an attempted abduction on the way home from school.  It is the fourth attempt in the last six months

There was an attempted abduction of a 12-year old girl in Dateland, AZ as she was on her way home.  The girl did not recognize the man.

Austin, TX, right outside of Bedichek Middle School, was the scene of an attempted abduction of a male student.  Police are investigating, and have increased patrols in the area.

School Violence Digest 3-14-13

Parents terrified over threats of violence at school
KVUE

Violence in Waterbury schools addressed
WTNH

Jason Kahl: Parents solution to school violence
Reading Eagle

Violence and a Chicago high school
Socialist Worker Online

Sensitive to gun violence, schools target child's play - Amid incidents ...
Livingston Daily

Kremmling citizens speak out on school violence
Sky Hi Daily News

Local school bus drivers trained to prevent violence
Naples Daily News

School Buses Breaking the Rules

Atlanta, GA
Every day, Georgia school buses transport more than a million students; with two of the largest fleets in the country operating right here in the Atlanta area. So we wondered, "How safe are your children when they step on a school bus?"

We conducted Open Records searches to get a handle on driver safety. We discovered that school bus drivers, like the rest of us, are not immune to getting tickets.

We requested red light camera tickets and moving violations for bus drivers in five school districts in the Atlanta area, including Gwinnett, Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton Counties as well as Atlanta Public Schools.

We found examples of buses running red lights and obtained the video to go along with some of those violations.  We also discovered other serious infractions, including a hit and run involving a Dekalb School bus, Atlanta school buses involved in accidents and buses in Cobb and DeKalb Counties cited for speeding, some in school zones.

Safe Havens, International

Hillsborough School District Group is Examining Special Ed Safety Following Student Deaths

Tampa, FL
Hillsborough County school bus drivers are free to decide whether to call 911 in case of an emergency, superintendent MaryEllen Elia said Thursday.

In addition, Elia said, a work group headed by deputy superintendent Ken Otero is exploring safety issues that affect exceptional-student education.

These actions follow the deaths of two special-needs children. Elia has asked for the work group's findings within 10 days.

Isabella "Bella" Herrera died in January, a day after suffering respiratory distress on a school bus coming home from Sessums Elementary School in Riverview. Her parents are suing in federal court.

Bella had a neuromuscular disorder and trouble holding her head up. She started choking, and neither the aide nor the driver called 911. Instead, they tried to have a dispatch operator or transportation supervisor call 911, which the district described as standard policy.

Safe Havens, International