General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Romney to school bus drivers: You don’t count [View all]ananda
(28,758 posts)"NEA members know that school bus drivers do much more than make the wheels on the bus go round and round. They are the first and last school employee that many children encounter. They encourage children to start their day right, and encourage them to keep trying if it goes wrong. They are trained to maintain safety and discipline, and to respond to scraped knees and first day of school jitters. They are also key to bullying prevention and are on the front lines of protecting vulnerable students.
Manassas City teacher Kellie Blair Hardt, who was at the Romney-Ryan event just a few miles from Metz Middle School where she works, said Romneys comments are in keeping with his belief that class size doesnt matter.
From the bus drivers to the cafeteria workers to the assistant in my own special education classroom, ESPs are an integral part of the success of our students, said Hardt, who is president of her local and the Manassas City Educator of the Year. Romneys statement should open the eyes of anyone who really cares about public educationhe doesnt understand it and thats why ESPs are of no importance to him.
Murray, who started working in Loudoun County transportation seven years ago after serving 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, said bus drivers provide valuable information every day to educators and administrators about student needs and behavior issues, which helps them better serve their students."