Another Perspective on RPS Bus Drivers Endangering Youth
Perhaps everyone is shocked and amazed at the apparent incompetence of Alvin Matthews and Irene Jenkins, bus monitor and substitute driver respectively, who left a five-year old autistic and asthmatic student on board a bus at the school district’s bus depot. Certainly, I find this report rather alarming, but not shocking. We can remember the […]
Perhaps everyone is shocked and amazed at the apparent incompetence of Alvin Matthews and Irene Jenkins, bus monitor and substitute driver respectively, who left a five-year old autistic and asthmatic student on board a bus at the school district’s bus depot. Certainly, I find this report rather alarming, but not shocking. We can remember the 13 month-old child who died in the back of a day care van and the young man who was responsible served six months of home confinement. According to the Richmond-Times Dispatch report “Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary E. Langer said warrants were filed yesterday charging the bus driver and bus monitor with one count each of felony child neglect. The charge carries a maximum of five years in prison upon conviction.” Given the court’s leniency in the former case, can we really expect that these two should face anything more than a serious fine, if that? I’m near willing to say that the loss of their jobs and the social stigma they are now facing is punishment enough.
The endangerment of children by those we permit to care for our children seems horrendous, but I doubt that there are many parents who have not at some point in their lives carelessly endangered their own children through some moment of “neglect.” I do not mean to excuse anyone for neglect, but I think it is important that we consider the context of the situation. I’d really like to know why two adults who are responsible for handicapped children would not take the five seconds it takes to walk to the back of the bus and check the seats. I’d like to also know how these two will manage to maintain their lives if they are convicted of a felony.
If my perspective offends you, please bare in mind that I am only interested in developing a sense of compassion for those who have erred so foolishly before the public and the media forever abandon and condemn these two people for something that many members of the public may also be guilty of sans public castigation.
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