Bullying on the School Bus
As the yellow school bus approached the stop, dread settled in the pit of young Sandra’s stomach. She knew what was waiting for her onboard. It wasn’t just the bumpy ride that made her sick to her stomach—it was the bullies who lurked, ready to pounce on their prey. And their daily target? None other than Sandra. She was tripped or slapped as she walked up the aisle, was forcefully dragged to a different seat, and had her belongings stolen, broken, and thrown out windows.
Often, school bus drivers contact us for advice on how to handle bullying on their buses. They feel bad that despite their best efforts, they can’t both drive safely and keep an eye on every child in their care at the same time.
We can put an end to bullying, and it starts with speaking up and taking action. Let’s make the school bus a safe place for every child.
Sandra isn’t the only kid who fears for her safety in a school bus. BullyingCanada’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Rob Benn-Frenette had twin sisters as his school bus tormentors. It started with name-calling and the teasing, and progressed to them burning the back of his neck with a cigarette lighter. Later, Rob truly feared for his life when they pushed him in front of a moving bus.
Bullying can be particularly vicious on school buses. Bullies have a captive audience and prey on vulnerable ones who can’t escape. Sandra and Rob were just two of many who’ve suffered at the hands of cruel children.
As a school bus driver, we know you can’t keep your eyes on the road and on every child in your care at the same time. But here are some things you can do to help keep kids on your bus safe.
How do I stop kids from bullying each other on my bus?
School bus drivers play an important role in creating a safe and respectful environment on the bus and preventing bullying from occurring. Here are some ways that school bus drivers can keep kids from bullying each other on the bus:
- Introduce yourself: When kids know your name, and you know theirs, they are more likely to report bullying to you.
- Set clear expectations: You can set clear expectations for behaviour on your bus and communicate these expectations to your passengers. Let the kids know that bullying and harassment are not tolerated on your bus and that there will be consequences for engaging in such behaviour. Post rules for appropriate conduct in your bus in a prominent place. Praise students who exhibit good behaviour.
- Organize seating: Don’t sit younger kids with older ones. Strategically seat new students, and talk to children who seem to be nervous about their seating arrangement.
- Monitor behaviour: Be vigilant in monitoring the behaviour of your young passengers, and speak to bullies and/or their victims about incidents you’ve seen or heard before they get off the bus. You can also encourage the kids to report any incidents of bullying to you or pass you a note if they’re too scared to speak to you.
- Establish a positive and inclusive environment: Create a positive and inclusive environment on your bus by fostering a sense of community and encouraging positive interactions among the kids. You can model positive behaviour, and encourage the kids to be respectful and kind to one another.
- Offer guidance and support: Offer guidance and support to the kids. Or you can tell them that they can contact BullyingCanada at any time to get expert help or support.
- Work with school administration: You can work with administrators of the schools you serve to extend their anti-bullying policy to school buses. This may include training drivers on how to prevent and address bullying and harassment, as well as implementing clear reporting procedures and consequences for engaging in such behaviour.
By taking proactive steps to prevent bullying and harassment on your bus, you can help create a safe and respectful environment for all of your young passengers.
