Question of school authority

[BrandonThompson]

I go to Wayne Central High School in Ontario, New York. I am wondering exactly how much authority the school administration has outside of school hours. Every morning I take a bus to school which arrives 20 minutes early and I walk to the gas station across the street from the school to get a drink before school starts. And almost every day I get hassled by an administrator who tells me that once I'm on the property I cannot leave, I tell him that is only inside of school hours and he says that once I get on the bus that the school is responsible for me even if I choose to leave. I have found some documents that find holes in what he is saying but it is not enough to fight back. Does anybody know of anything that would finally disprove this? I prefer something written by federal or New York state education departments if available. Thank you for your time.

[Zigner]

The school is correct...

[IsabellaSoriano]

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

I go to Wayne Central High School in Ontario, New York. I am wondering exactly how much authority the school administration has outside of school hours. Every morning I take a bus to school which arrives 20 minutes early and I walk to the gas station across the street from the school to get a drink before school starts. And almost every day I get hassled by an administrator who tells me that once I'm on the property I cannot leave, I tell him that is only inside of school hours and he says that once I get on the bus that the school is responsible for me even if I choose to leave. I have found some documents that find holes in what he is saying but it is not enough to fight back. Does anybody know of anything that would finally disprove this? I prefer something written by federal or New York state education departments if available. Thank you for your time.

and what did your parents say? and the form where they signed liability to the school for your care to use the bus system as provided by the school? what was the wording on that?

[stealth2]

Yep, the school's right. Once you get on that bus, if anything happens to you - the school is liable. So you're not supposed to leave school grounds until the end of the day. Sorry. Bring a drink from home.

[BrandonThompson]

Originally Posted by IsabellaSoriano

and what did your parents say? and the form where they signed liability to the school for your care to use the bus system as provided by the school? what was the wording on that?

My mom thinks this rule is a load of crap. And the rule they are quoting is... "Some students are eligible for district transportation. While the law requires the district to furnish transportation for such students, it does not relieve parent(s) or guardian(s) of the responsibility for supervision until such time as the child boards the bus in the morning and after the child leaves the bus at the end of the school day." But, I find this rule to be extremely vague and it seems to be directed towards the younger children, I'm 17. And I think they are forgetting one important thing, once I leave school property, they are no longer responsible. This rule also says they are responsible once you get on the bus and then get dropped off at the end of the day, but people take the bus to school and walk somewhere else after or leave early for work release. And it sounds like it was made to ensure the school keeps kids safe when on the bus. Do I have to follow this extremely vague rule or can I request that it be modified?

[TheGeekess]

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

My mom thinks this rule is a load of crap. And the rule they are quoting is... "Some students are eligible for district transportation. While the law requires the district to furnish transportation for such students, it does not relieve parent(s) or guardian(s) of the responsibility for supervision until such time as the child boards the bus in the morning and after the child leaves the bus at the end of the school day." But, I find this rule to be extremely vague and it seems to be directed towards the younger children, I'm 17. And I think they are forgetting one important thing, once I leave school property, they are no longer responsible. This rule also says they are responsible once you get on the bus and then get dropped off at the end of the day, but people take the bus to school and walk somewhere else after or leave early for work release. And it sounds like it was made to ensure the school keeps kids safe when on the bus. Do I have to follow this extremely vague rule or can I request that it be modified?

You are under the school's jurisdiction from the time you get on the school bus in the morning until you get off the school bus in the afternoon. They are responsible for you and your safety. You're lucky you haven't been disciplined for your flagrant disregard of the school's rules. And just because JuniorBob rides the bus to school and then ditches class doesn't make it right.

[xylene]

Stop buying drinks.

Put that money aside

2 dollars a day adds up fast.

I had my own car by age 17.

I was thrifty and I worked and every extra penny I got or scrounged went into that car fund.

I wasn't like I had been saving since kindergarden either

Age 16 1/2 I knew I wanted a car... age 17 1/4 I had a car. Did not take that long to save up $1100...

[ecmst12]

I haven't been in high school for a little while, but when I was, if you wanted to go off campus at any time, you had to be in 10th grade or above (no off-campus priviledges for freshmen) and get a signed permission slip from your parents allowing you to leave campus at lunch or any other time after you arrived in the morning and before leaving in the afternoon. I graduated almost 15 years ago though, and I think I've heard that they've since done away with this and students are no longer offered off-campus priviledges at all, for any reason. Not 100% sure on that but it was a rumor At any rate, if your school doesn't offer off campus priviledges, then you can't go off campus. Next time, you might get detention. If you want to take the risk, that's your choice, you are after all a big 17 year old man.

[frylover]

My question to you is WHY is this so important?

Do you have a medical disorder that requires to consume a drink at that specific time of day?

Are you a non-conformist who likes to buck the system just to make waves?

Are you a spoiled brat who wants what he wants because he wants it?

The simplest solution is bring a drink from home. But that wouldn't make for high drama, would it?

And what if you ask them to change the rule and they oblige by tightening up any loopholes and making it abundantly clear that you may NOT leave campus to go fetch your refreshing beverage?

[stealth2]

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

And the rule they are quoting is... "Some students are eligible for district transportation. While the law requires the district to furnish transportation for such students, it does not relieve parent(s) or guardian(s) of the responsibility for supervision until such time as the child boards the bus in the morning and after the child leaves the bus at the end of the school day."

That's rather clear - the school is responsible for you (if you ride the bus) from the time you board the bus in the morning, until the time you get off the bus in the afternoon.

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

But, I find this rule to be extremely vague and it seems to be directed towards the younger children, I'm 17.

No, it really isn't, and it really doesn't.

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

And I think they are forgetting one important thing, once I leave school property, they are no longer responsible.

No, they are not forgetting that. They are responsible from the time you board the bus in the morning (if you ride the bus) until the time you get off it in the afternoon.

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

This rule also says they are responsible once you get on the bus and then get dropped off at the end of the day, but people take the bus to school and walk somewhere else after or leave early for work release.

The kids who walk somewhere else after likely are not authorized to do so. The kids who have work release ... have that documented in their files and have the permission of the school AND their parent(s) to leave school grounds. You may have one, but not the other.

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

And it sounds like it was made to ensure the school keeps kids safe when on the bus.

It was made to ensure that the school keeps the kids safe from the time they leave their parents' control until the time they are (theoretically) back under it.

Originally Posted by BrandonThompson

Do I have to follow this extremely vague rule or can I request that it be modified?

Yes, you have to follow it. And if you and Mommy feel it is a crap rule, then Mommy can drive you to school (stopping for your precious drink) and pick you up after (and drop you off a block away if she so chooses).

You're not planning to be a rocket scientist, are you?

Seriously - a thermal mug can be had for >$10. You can make your coffee, tea, hot cocoa, speshul blend of all of the above with a splash of extra organic hand coddled Brandon elixir at home. For half the price. If that.

[frylover]

And I'd be willing to bet that if Brandon gets hit by a car while crossing the street or mugged at the gas station, mom who "thinks this rule is a load of crap" would be on here wanting to know how much she could sue the school for because they were negligent with her baby boy.