Robin Jonathan Deutsch on Splash
A neurodivergent 6th-grade Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) student was bullied early this year for a few days on the school bus. Humiliated and scared, she came home and shared with her mom the experience.
"The incident triggered her anxiety, and we were not sure whether to approach the school or the bus driver," the child's mom shared with Oakville News.
Add to this: the bullies were from another school riding the same bus, the drivers are often unaware of such incidents when they drive, and the victim lacks advocacy skills- making the situation worse to handle.
On Feb.6, 2023, the victim came home happy, hugged her mom and shared how the bullies had "stopped being mean."
"I instantly knew why! I just read online that Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS) began implementing interior-facing video cameras on school buses starting today on 70% of bus routes. The older children must have seen the signage on the bus about video surveillance and stopped bullying," the mom explained.
Her experience reflects the instant reward that HSTS action brought about for several children with special needs bussed to the HCDSB and Halton District School Board (HDSB) schools.
According to an HDSB press release, three interior-facing cameras are installed in these buses to "provide an additional measure to help enhance student safety, monitor disruptive behaviour and maintain order on school buses while students are transported safely to and from school."
"Many times, though the bus drivers are good and reliable, those cameras act as a guarantee of sorts, given the frailty of human nature," Carla Mackley, a caregiver of children with special needs for the last 25 years, shared.
She highlighted that though she supports rights and believes in privacy, "it is our responsibility to protect kids who are vulnerable." She thinks a notice advising everyone of video surveillance would be appropriate for most parents' consent.
The first question Lindsay T, another parent of a non-verbal child, asked the school when she decided to put her child on the bus was if there were cameras. "I was disappointed when they said no," she shared. Also, a former educational assistant, she sees the move as beneficial for students with severe medical conditions.
For example, suppose a student has a seizure on the bus. In that case, the concerned parents can later check the video footage to understand the sequence of events or identify any gaps.
The move will also protect the drivers, she added. "As a person in the field of working with/around children with disabilities, I feel comfortable in surveillance knowing I would be protected in case of an accusation," T signed off!
For more information on the procedure or authority to view video footage, parents can visit the HDSB website.
