Schools buy terrorist-deterring outfits for bus drivers

[Pat McCotter]

These aren't ordinary uniforms
New threads: Schools buy terrorist-deterring outfits for bus drivers as part of security upgrade.

By Megan Matteucci
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Clayton County Schools is spending $70,000 to outfit all 500 bus drivers and monitors in uniforms as part of a homeland security upgrade.

District transportation director John Lyles said the uniforms are part of a safety enhancement program to prevent terrorists from hijacking buses.

"We wanted to be proactive in an effort to protect our children from terrorists," Lyles said Tuesday. "Before uniforms, the kids could have a substitute bus driver and a terrorist could get on the bus and take 70 kids. Students wouldn't know if this is the person who is supposed to drive the bus."

All 500 bus drivers and special-education bus monitors will now be wearing red shirts, khaki pants and jackets.

The $70,000 expenditure comes as the district is losing $23 million in state aid. Last week, school officials announced 153 teachers and 102 other employees would have to be cut next school year.

"I really think at this point we need to be looking at everything we do and be very frugal in spending," said school board member Jessie Goree. "If we're going to provide them uniforms, we should probably provide uniforms for our students."

Goree said she did not know about the expenditures nor recall voting on it.

Goree suggested that instead of buying uniforms, the district require bus drivers wear a certain color and purchase their own clothing, similar to what parents must do for students.

The district began requiring red shirts on bus drivers last year.

The rest of the uniform is now being phased in as part of a larger safety program that involves cameras, hand-held radios and more secure doors on buses, Lyles said.

The goal is to have all bus drivers in uniforms before March, when the federal Transportation Security Administration will visit for a security assessment.

Lyles said the uniforms are not required by the government nor has the district had any security problems.

"We're at the cutting edge when it comes to security for our students," he said. "After 9/11, school buses were identified by the Department of Homeland Security as possible target of terrorists."

Atlanta Public Schools also require their bus drivers to wear uniforms.

Instead of soliciting bids for a uniform vendor, the district is purchasing the clothing from the same company that supplies uniforms for the school system's mechanics and custodians, Lyles said.

Last year, forensic auditors called for a separate audit of Clayton County Schools' Transportation Department after finding excessive overtime and hefty charges on purchasing cards. Lyles said those problems have been addressed.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Government programs have discovered that bus drivers wearing red shirts are less likely to be attacked by terrorists than bus drivers wearing other color shirts. Hrm...

[D Stewart]

You're missing the point.  They're also planning on passing a law making it a felony for a terrorist to purchase or wear a red shirt.  Once they do that, it'll be foolproof.

[doobie]

Solutions looking for problems at the cost of the tax payer.

Look!  A terrorist cleaning the toilet!

Look!  A terrorist stocking the shelves!

Look!  A terrorist driving the buses our kids ride!

Look!  A terrorist driving a truck!

Look!  A terrorist government trying to control and tame it's people!

[ByronB]

You're missing the point.  They're also planning on passing a law making it a felony for a terrorist to purchase or wear a red shirt.  Once they do that, it'll be foolproof.

God bless our government, what would we do without them.

[Ogre]

Terrorist: I'm going to take this bus, hijack it, and blow myself up, Open the Door!

*Door Opens*

Terrorist: Oh, crap, you're wearing a red shirt.  Never mind, I'll go home and be peaceful now.

[Lloyd Danforth]

I'll bet the Clayton County School district budget went up this year    If the people ever get smart, I'm thinking both Tar and Feathers will be industries worth investing in.