School Bus making stops at McDonalds on way to school?

What do you think?

Should this driver be allowed to take the kids once a week??

I think that at least the kids are eating some type of breakfast and once a week is no big deal

Gabby said:

I think that at least the kids are eating some type of breakfast and once a week is no big deal

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That is what I was going to say. You never know if some of them get to eat alot so if this feeds them at least they get that.

So, as I understand it - the complaining mother wants the McDonalds trips to stop before her son gets hit by a car while walking to and from the bus or gets caught inside the restaurant during a robbery. Well, with an attitude like that, she might as well chain her son to the wall in his room. Cripes - he's not going skydiving over shark-infested waters - it's a trip to McDonald's!

Yakwoman

P.S. When I was in school, our bus driver used to take us to Dairy Queen on the last day of school. Everyone looked forward to it and nobody complained.

Is the driver buying them breakfast? If so, cool. Otherwise I'd feel sorry for kids that couldn't afford it having to watch others eat.

A good breakfast before school at McDonalds sounds like fun. And the driver must have a good relationship with her kids.

We had a bus driver that when he was ahead of schedule he would read us storys by my house. Kids and Parents alike were all for it.

I agree with Mindi, it just seems that this women has some control issues, and that if she does not agree with something, then it is her way or no way.

I really don't see any harm in taking the kids to McD's once a week especially on a Friday, the kids look forward to it, it can be used as leverage to ensure good behaviour Monday through Thursday, others will attempt to keep the trouble makers in line though a group effort all in anticipation of the Friday a.m. treat.

The kids are eatting breakfast(as we all know is almost next to impossible in the "busy" teenage years) and the kids pay for it themselves.

So I really don't see what the harm is, maybe the Mom is "upset" that no one asked her permission to take her minor child out as part of a school group for breakfast.

Really, her concerns are "excuses" that are not based in reality, she is obviously using these "robbery and hit by a car" excuses to mask her real trivial or "control" concerns.

Now if this McD has a very violent history of robberies at this time in the a.m. or if children who are teenagers are hit by cars often at the drive in, then I would have some concerns. But if not, this women has other "issues".......

I think this woman just lives for something to complain about. She is likely pissed about something else and is using this to gripe about. I could somewhat understand a complaint if the children were young (under 12) but these are all high schoolers. Maybe she could have just driven her kid to school on McDonalds day rather then ruining it for everyone and targeting her son for harrassment by his peers.

What an egghead.

This just sounds like "no good deed goes unpunished." Again. Someone should be kissing this driver's butt for being such a nice person and a friend to these kids.

When I was in high school, our bus driver stopped at Mc Donald's every Friday and if it was raining or super cold she would drop us off at our own houses instead of the bus stop!

I remember once she came to my house on a Saturday because I had accidentally left a book on the bus.

She was AWESOME!!

If the woman in the article takes issue with her kid going, let her drive her little wuss!

Imagine how humiliated her son must be. Bad Mom. Bad, bad, bad! :slap:

What I find interesting is that the driver has been doing this every Friday since last school year, and this mom just found out about it.

Did she not notice that on Fridays her son didn't grab his usual Poptart (or whatever)? Great communication between these two.

He's in high school, for goodness sake. I would agree, she has issues.

Poor kid.

Mabel said:

Imagine how humiliated her son must be. Bad Mom. Bad, bad, bad! :slap:

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Maybe with all we have read with bus drivers leaving kids on the bus, causing accidents, this mom feels we SHOULD SLAP THIS WOMAN SILLY:liar:

I smell a real anal retentive here. BOO!

I say, --- I may just write the paper and get her a little write up with some praise.

Of all the nerve. :banghead: :banghead:

Okay, playing Devil's Advocate...

Why is this person taking these kids to McDonalds without their parents or the school system's knowledge? You put the child on the bus assuming that they are going directly to and from school, no stopping, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. End of story. While I agree that the mother's scenario for disaster is a little out there, it is true that in case of emergeny the school system and parents would have NO CLUE where to look for the bus because it is no longer on its route when it is in the McDonald's parking lot or stopping at the RiteAid.

As a teacher and former daycare center worker, I have had all of the safety stuff pounded into my head and for good reason - all of our rules have come out of some horrible tragedy where a child was lost, hurt or even killed. We don't go anywhere, even in our own building, without letting someone know. There are specific plans and ways of doing things so that if there was an emergency, the first responders would not be relying on my help (what if I were the one needing their help?).

And what if the parents didn't want the kid eating at McDonalds? What if the kid has a health condition and is resistant to following the dietary guidelines. If you had a diabetic child grabbing a Coke every morning on his way to school without your knowledge,, that could seriously affect his medical care.

Heck, I have to get a permission slip for everything from photographing my students to giving them certain foods. I cannot believe it's okay for a bus driver to swing by McDonalds on a weekly basis without getting the thumbs up from anyone. And to change the pickup time to do it? What about a kid who misses the bus because they're out there at the regular time?

I think the whole thing is a little nervy myself. I'd be ticked too.

:bang:

angelmom said:

Okay, playing Devil's Advocate...

Why is this person taking these kids to McDonald's without their parents or the school system's knowledge? You put the child on the bus assuming that they are going directly to and from school, no stopping, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. End of story. While I agree that the mother's scenario for disaster is a little out there, it is true that in case of emergency the school system and parents would have NO CLUE where to look for the bus because it is no longer on its route when it is in the McDonald's parking lot or stopping at the RiteAid.

As a teacher and former daycare center worker, I have had all of the safety stuff pounded into my head and for good reason - all of our rules have come out of some horrible tragedy where a child was lost, hurt or even killed. We don't go anywhere, even in our own building, without letting someone know. There are specific plans and ways of doing things so that if there was an emergency, the first responders would not be relying on my help (what if I were the one needing their help?).

And what if the parents didn't want the kid eating at McDonald's? What if the kid has a health condition and is resistant to following the dietary guidelines. If you had a diabetic child grabbing a Coke every morning on his way to school without your knowledge,, that could seriously affect his medical care.

Heck, I have to get a permission slip for everything from photographing my students to giving them certain foods. I cannot believe it's okay for a bus driver to swing by McDonalds on a weekly basis without getting the thumbs up from anyone. And to change the pickup time to do it? What about a kid who misses the bus because they're out there at the regular time?

I think the whole thing is a little nervy myself. I'd be ticked too.

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:bang: The kid's in HIGH SCHOOL for Pete's sake!! If her child is that sensitive to fast food due to health concerns and stupid at that age to cross a street, let her drive the little candy *advertiser censored* herself! If she is that over protective, why isn't he living in a bubble???

Linda7NJ said:

:bang:
:bang: The kid's in HIGH SCHOOL for Pete's sake!! If her child is that sensitive to fast food due to health concerns and stupid at that age to cross a street, let her drive the little candy *advertiser censored* herself! If she is that over protective, why isn't he living in a bubble???

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High school is 13 for some kids. Do you think a 13 year old is old enough to decide when and where to go, whenever they want? Would you allow a 13 year old to choose to go with an adult you didn't know, someplace you didn't know they were going, without your knowledge or permission? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Carlie Brucia was 12, I believe, and people on this board went nuts that she was walking home in her own neighborhood by herself.

And if the mother drove him herself, this is probably the same group that would villify her for being overprotective and depleting the ozone layer and asking why she didn't just put him on the bus. This story right here is why my kids will not EVER ride a school bus. In our state an expose of the number of bus drivers with criminal records (some for sex offenses, and some even against children!!!) caused heads to roll a few years ago. Who does this bus driver think she is that she can make up her own rules???

If you think a diabetic 13 or 14 year old is old enough to understand the devastating consequences of eating the wrong thing, you are overestimating most of them. My high school boyfriend was diabetic, and the crap he put in his body was frightening. Watching him start to go into a diabetic coma and his mother screaming at us asking what he had eaten is a picture that is forever burned into my mind.

But the bottom line is that this bus driver had guidelines she is supposed to follow and, I'd bet everything I own, she chose not to follow them. That's it. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

I think some of todays parents have become to controlling, paranoid and overbearing. My boys played high school football and traveled all over Southwest Missouri on School Bus's. They would stop before games and after games at where ever was open and eat. I dont know if you have been in a school cafateria lately but it isnt exactly a diabetic menu. By the time a child is in high school they should be responsible enough to feed themselves with out mommy tied to the apron string approving or disaproving of each morsel before they can swallow.


My kids bus driver when they were in grade ( I swear her name was Clarabelle) used to take the bus through Dairy Queen on the last day of school and buy them all a treat. She baked muffins she served on the bus and drove though pizza hut on more then one occasion to pick up pizzas for a celebration. I dont remember a single parent freaken out about their kid having a good time and learning about the generous spirit of others.

For some reason society just wants to suck all the joy out of kids lifes and have everyone conform to a set standard of bland.

The bus drivers here do the same thing, take the kids to the ice cream shop on the last day of school. I wasn't told in advance that it was going to happen, but I thought it was really neat when I learned of it.

As for diabetes, by highschool it is up to the child to control what he eats. The other kids shouldn't have to sacrifice because of it. Obviously children with diabetes manage to eat things they shouldn't and put themselves into diabetic comas even if their bus driver doesn't take them to McDonalds.

IMO - this mom is a perfect example of a "Helicopter Parent". :boohoo: :bang: :loser:

I guess I'll just have to be the crazy mom on this one. I just know I personally would be fired if I took a child somewhere - anywhere - without telling the parents or the administration, and that I would be furious if someone did it with my child.

I'll go back to the thread I started a week or so ago about the warning signs of abusers.

Signs of potential abusers thread

Some of the signs:

*tend to be very comfortable with children, may work or volunteer with children
*may use gifts to groom children
*often feel that rules do not apply to them
*may allow children to break parents' rules
*may use tests to see if children will keep a secret
*enjoy spending time alone with children, or ask to be alone with them
*use phrases like, "I'm still a child at heart." or feel that they have never really grown up

Now I'm certainly not going to say that this bus driver is an abuser. From the article it genuinely sounds like she is someone trying to do something nice for the kids, however misguided I find it. BUT, as someone who works with children, I would hope that she has received the training to avoid even the slightest hint of impropriety, and going "off the radar" like this is not appropriate, IMO. And I do think this is exactly the kind of behavior that a pedo might use to gain children's trust and affection.

Call me crazy. It wouldn't be the first time.

Mabel said:

The bus drivers here do the same thing, take the kids to the ice cream shop on the last day of school. I wasn't told in advance that it was going to happen, but I thought it was really neat when I learned of it.

As for diabetes, by highschool it is up to the child to control what he eats. The other kids shouldn't have to sacrifice because of it. Obviously children with diabetes manage to eat things they shouldn't and put themselves into diabetic comas even if their bus driver doesn't take them to McDonalds.

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And I just have to add...would it really be a sacrifice not to go to McDonalds on a weekly basis? It's not like they are skipping lunch or even missing dessert at lunch!! It's McDonalds, the poster child for unhealthy food!