School District Voting of $834,000 security upgrade

I would like to bring up some points on the new proposal for security on buses. Most the buses already have digital cameras installed, some even on the outside of the bus to catch people running the red stop sign.

I do believe there is talk of also installing time clocks on each individual bus. This is not hard to see that this is not a security measure. All this will do is cut back on the pay for at a minimum the bus drivers and possibly other district employees. By starting the pay time when they get to the bus and clock in instead of when they actually begin work. This concerns me. Are they not suppose to do bus checks or how do the employees get the bus repaired or change buses when broke down. Are they suppose to not get paid when doing these required tasks. Teachers and Coaches may even have to log into these portable time clocks where their time can be more tracked by other people that are not on a time clock. Nothing about time management is about security. All it is would be a huge waste of tax payers dollars to pay for so many time clocks to go into each individual bus. Instead they could just install one in the main office at Jim Grillery building. This building right now is used for office personal that seem to be exempt for time to all employees of Clarke county to use if there is a time issue.

There is already radios that have the ID of each bus installed each time the radio is used so in case of emergency the dispatch will know which bus is on the radio even if they are not speaking.

It seems that these proposed security upgrades are more like a time watch dog? If so we are missing the point and those being hurt most are our children in Clarke county.

Many Cut backs on programs have already taken place and some programs are surely missed that could help our children and their education. Why could the money not be used for the betterment of our children.

I ASK ABOUT THE WALLET THAT WAS STOLEN OUT OF TIMOTHY SCHOOL? The doors are locked at the schools.. Where was he caught? Did he even get near
any part of the school where the children are? Is the front office the part where they catch criminals? If you look at our schools, the only way you can get in ,
is at the front door to the office. All others are locked. Did a digital camera or installing a time clock on a school bus stop this? No it was the office personnel at Timothy school that did.

This security upgrade needs more looking into before it cost our children more of their education. $834,000.00 is a big price to pay for mobile time clocks and tracking devices. The cost will not end just there. Upkeep, training and so on will still need paying...

If they are dead set on upgrades and such why not think of better safety. The way the radios are installed on the school buses right now can be a distraction when driving or loading or unloading . Having to try to reach for them to respond to dispatch. Radios with a headset would put and end to drivers looking for the mic and holding the key down to communicate to dispatch... Freeing up a well needed second hand and a pair of eyes..A radio with a mic that you must key is no different than looking for your cell phone and holding it while talking and driving.

All the money that was spent to install digital cameras out side some of the school buses to catch people running the red stop sign while children are loading or unloading. What has it achieved there are still no arrests or citations of cars running school bus reds..

I asked about all the cuts backs and budget cuts that has been brought about a year ago. Than I ask about using $834,000.00 for mobile time clocks and tracking devices
on school buses. Where is our education for our children???

I ask our community to check on this so called $834,000.00 security upgrade Clarke county is voting on. Ask yourself if our children need better education. With our scores being so low for most of our schools Clarke County High School @ a 3, Classic City High School @ a 3, Cedar Shoals High School @ a 2, Clarke Middle School @ a 4, Hilsman Middle School @ a 4, W. R. Coile Middle School @ a 4, Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School @ a 3, Alps Roads Elementary @ a 2, Barnett Shoals Elementary School @ a 4, Barrow Elementary School @ a 6, Chase Street Elementary School @ a 8, Cleveland Road Elementary School @ a 4, Fowler Drive Elementary School @ a 4, Gaines Elementary School @ a 2, J. J. Harris Elementary School @ a 4, Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School @ a 3, Howard B. Stroud Elementary School @ a 3, Timothy Elementary School @ a 5, Whit Davis Elementary School @ a 5, Whitehead Road Elementary School @ a 5, Winterville Elementary School @ a 4.

Along with buses that have air condition and head sets radios making them safer keeping hand on steering wheels and eyes on road not looking to grab a mic. Just one heat exhaustion can cause brain damage. One radio mic in a drivers hands can cause many deaths. Ask if a midsize bus that weighs as much as the others its size has air brakes no it does not, causing the driver to use wheel chocks to make sure it does not move when parked. How well do these brake work while hauling our children?

On going Safety training for all employees of transportation and schools will be a great start . Once a year training is a bit lacking on many school districts. Cut backs we have seen now the money is being said to be spend on expensive time clocks and tracking devices. I do believe Timothy school is the one that did not allow this person last year to get near the children and is the reason he was caught. That is security at work to me...