Cafeteria workers forced to drive school buses

[love_katz]

4. Probably due to budget cuts.

Thanks, Greedy Old Pigs (GOP), and 1% Robber Baron overlords.

I have been driving a school bus for many years.

It takes MUCH more skill than most people realize, and it definitely is NOT for everyone. Some people just can't handle driving a big vehicle filled with screaming kids.

In some ways, it is harder than teaching a classroom full of kids. Please listen, before you assume I am a teacher hater: no way am I that!

Your back is to the kids, and you do most of your interactions with them through the pupil mirror, while driving the classroom down the road.

Buses are big and rather clumsy vehicles. They are built to resist crushing, but are not easy to maneuver, especially in tight spaces. Most drivers have more kids on the bus than teachers have in their classroom, and the kids are crammed into a tight space. This can make for a hot, noisy environment, which can breed problems amongst the kids. The teacher can call the office, or step next door to the next classroom if the kids get out of hand, whereas the drive is often alone with anywhere from 30-80+ kids, and can be far from assistance if the kids get out of line.

I could go on, but I imagine most of you can get my drift. It is not a good idea to force employees who never intended to take on the challenge of driving a school bus to have to do it as a condition of their continuing employment. Dumb idea.