No Bullying On Board

The Child Safety Network (CSN) and the National PTA (NPTA) take bullying very seriously. Students should not have to endure injury or ridicule as they are transported to and from school. As the prevention of bullying on-board school buses is a cornerstone of the awareness efforts of School Bus Safety Month, CSN and NPTA are dedicated to creating a culture in which children can ride school buses without fear of being hurt or embarrassed. In order to make this happen, everyone needs to do their part, including parents and school bus drivers. Here are ways in which you can ensure that your children are not subjected to any bullying:

For Parents:

Parents play a key role in preventing and responding to bullying. If you know or suspect that your child is involved in bullying, there are several steps that you can take to help. Recognize the warning signs that your child is involved in bullying. They could be being bullied, bullying others, or witnessing bullying. Although these signs could signal other issues, you should talk to your child if they display any sort of behavioral or emotional changes. Many times, kids won’t ask for help, so it is important to know what to look for. If your child is at immediate risk of harming himself or others, get help right away.

Another important aspect of bullying is the amount of bystanders that are present as a innocent child is subjected to these unfair acts. Most of the time, a child will be bullied while other students are watching, yet, it is rare that these students will speak up about the events for fear of being a “snitch” or even being subjected to bullying themselves. Teaching students that reporting bullying to a bus driver or school official is a necessary step to abolishing the behavior. Collaborating with bus drivers is an important resource to use for making sure that your child does not continue to be subjected to bullying. If you fear that your child is being bullied while on-board the school bus or learn that it is actually happening, bring it to the attention of the school bus driver or other available school officials, who can talk specifically with the children involved and make alternate seating arrangements to help correct the problem. Keep in mind, it is the responsibility of the school to maintain the physical safety of students while they are on the bus, but with so many children to look out for, some cases can slip through the cracks. Therefore, it is important that you keep a second eye out for the safety of your child while on the school bus, and speak up about any issues as soon as possible.

For Drivers:

As a school bus driver, it is your responsibility to maintain the safety of students as they are being transported. Since it is difficult to watch all the students on the bus while you are driving, it is pivotal that you establish the policies that you are going to uphold, including the rules that you will hold students responsible for following. Introducing these rules at the beginning of the school year and reintroducing them during times of necessity, is an important part in making sure that students know the rules. If students are unaware of your policy about on-board bullying, they may take advantage of the unclear policy. Conversely, when students are aware that they will be facing consequences for detrimental behavior, they are less likely to commit harmful acts, for fear of getting in trouble.