JCPS bus drivers say these 14 schools aren't supporting them with student discipline

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez and Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read
8

Fourteen schools in Jefferson County Public Schools are "unsupportive" of bus drivers when it comes to student discipline, according to a list provided by John Stovall, head of the drivers' union.

The release of the list follows a driver sickout this month over student behavior and discipline that resulted in dozens of canceled routes and children missing school.

Background: JCPS drivers are complaining about student behavior. Here's what the kids are doing

The schools are:

  • Highland Middle School

  • Thomas Jefferson Middle School

  • Marion C. Moore School

  • Westport Middle School

  • Crosby Middle School

  • Dr. J. Blaine Hudson Middle School

  • Stuart Academy

  • Jefferson County Traditional Middle

  • Zachary Taylor Elementary School

  • Kennedy Elementary School

  • Eastern High School

  • Dr. William H. Perry Elementary School

  • Maupin Elementary School

  • Kerrick Elementary School

When students misbehave, school staff and drivers can issue referrals, which come with differing consequences, according to the district's Student Support and Behavior Intervention Handbook.

In the aftermath of the sickout, district leaders started to staff each bus compound with a "climate and culture staff member" on Nov. 15. Their responsibilities include receiving referrals directly from drivers, ensuring the referrals are reviewed in a timely manner and answering drivers' questions about violations.

“We have been listening and continue to listen to bus drivers and their ideas on improving some students’ behavior on buses," JCPS spokesman Mark Hebert previously said. "Some changes in the way we will be handling future referrals are a direct result of these discussions. These changes should result in quicker decisions on possible discipline for students and better communication of outcomes with drivers and their supervisors.”

Student discipline has long been an issue, a driver who asked for anonymity told The Courier Journal, but things have escalated since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Courier Journal obtained a list of bus referrals from last year, showing nearly 15,000 were issued to students in which there were more than three dozen types of offenses ranging from physical violence to drug use or possession to horseplay and more.

See the list: How are students misbehaving on the bus. Here's the list of referrals

"There have been numerous situations where drivers are being threatened," said the driver, who asked that her name not be used out of fear of retribution. "The kids are out of control and they get put right back on the bus."

Stovall, head of Teamsters 783, previously told The Courier Journal drivers are tired of being "cussed out by kids."

Eighteen drivers have quit this year as of the end of October, district records show. On Nov. 13, there were 575 drivers, only seven more than the number of routes that need to be covered, Hebert said.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JCPS bus drivers: These 14 schools are lagging on student behavior