Did that title send a chill down your spine? Picture this: your five-year-old daughter comes home from school, excitedly sharing tales of her “secret tickling game” with a 12-year-old on the school bus. The horror of it all propelled me to work alongside Senator David Turner to advocate for new legislation concerning school bus surveillance footage.
In August 2019, my daughter was eagerly anticipating her first day of kindergarten. Not only was she moving up from preschool at the same school, but she was finally old enough to ride the school bus. As someone who grew up in a rural area where bus rides were a norm, I thought it was a reasonable decision. It would make my life easier, especially with two younger children at home. Her joy was contagious, and I couldn’t say no.
Once kindergarten began, my daughter was over the moon. Every day, she hopped off the bus, bursting with excitement to recount her day and the new friend she had made. However, I never thought to inquire about her new friend’s age.
She shared stories about this friend daily. Unfortunately, the bus had tinted windows, preventing me from seeing where she sat when getting on or off. I had advised her to sit at the front, and I assumed she would comply. I also trusted the bus driver to enforce the unspoken rule that older kids should not dominate the back of the bus, just as I remembered from my own childhood experiences.
Most days, her responses about the bus rides were typical. Yet, one day in September, just two months into her kindergarten journey, she reacted differently when I asked about her day. I couldn’t pinpoint her answer, but when I inquired about the bus ride, I noticed her body stiffen. She looked at me as if caught in a lie. I asked again, and this time she fell silent. Concerned, I probed further, and she began to cry. I thought perhaps she had been scolded on the bus, but her reaction suggested something more serious.
When I asked why she was upset, she revealed that she thought she was in trouble for something. This didn’t sit well with me, so I reassured her that she wasn’t in trouble. “Did something happen?” I asked. Eventually, she confessed that she had been instructed by her “friend” not to tell me about their “secret tickling game.”
My heart sank. I was not prepared for that revelation. Though I tried to remain calm, I was internally panicking. I understood that children often engage in innocent tickling, but her demeanor suggested there was more to it. I took a deep breath and asked her to explain this game in detail. Thanks to advice I had received online about teaching kids the correct names for their anatomy, I was able to directly ask, “Did your friend touch your private parts?” Thankfully, she clarified that nothing inappropriate occurred. But why had her friend insisted on secrecy?
I soon discovered that my daughter had been sitting in the back of the bus with this 12-year-old. Alarm bells rang in my head. I rushed to email the principal, intending to address the situation first thing in the morning.
The next day, I met with the principal and assistant principal, who fully understood my concerns. They shared the alarming possibility that the older child might also be a victim of abuse. I inquired about school bus cameras and requested to see the footage, but was denied access. That left me frustrated. My daughter might have been in a concerning situation, yet I was unable to view the evidence myself.
As I continued to ponder the incident, I found myself questioning what steps to take next. The local sheriff’s office dismissed my concerns, stating no crime had been committed. Confused, I sought legal advice, which led me to contact child services to file a report. However, their response was equally disheartening, with one representative dismissing my fears by suggesting that a five-year-old would have been more vocal had something occurred.
Determined to find answers, I went directly to the bus garage. I learned that the bus had encountered numerous issues and that the bus driver had either resigned or been let go that very day. Coincidence? I also found out the bus had been pulled over for an unrelated incident, which further raised my concerns about the driver’s oversight.
As I waited for updates from the school, I felt the urgency to know what had transpired. I reached out again, and the assistant principal informed me that they had a meeting scheduled to discuss the matter. When I asked about reviewing the bus footage, I was told that I would need a subpoena. Ironically, I would have to obtain that from the sheriff’s office, who was reluctant to assist me in the first place.
Eventually, the school resource officer reached out, promising to review the footage from the day my daughter first mentioned the game. I was relieved, but that relief was fleeting when I learned he wouldn’t be reviewing prior footage. He mistakenly believed that reporting the matter would ensure an investigation, but child services declined to look into it due to the ages of both kids involved.
The superintendent was furious upon learning about the incident and vowed to take control of the bus situation. I was informed that measures would be put in place to improve safety, but I remained uneasy. I ultimately decided that I would not allow my daughter to ride that bus again.
In my pursuit of clarity, I contacted the district attorney’s office, only to be told that they needed a formal investigation initiated by the sheriff’s office to become involved. Their stance was frustrating, as it seemed to leave my daughter and other children vulnerable.
This distressing experience led to a push for new legislation in Tennessee regarding the accessibility of school bus footage, aimed at protecting children and ensuring that parents can act swiftly in similar situations. For further insights on topics related to home insemination, you can check out our post here, and for authoritative information, visit this resource.
In summary, this harrowing experience underscored the urgent need for greater transparency and protection for children on school buses. Every child deserves to feel safe, and parents should have the right to access information that could impact their child’s wellbeing.