Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School To Begin Video Taping On Buses

"Smile, you're on Candid Camera."

This was the opening to a television program hosted by Alan Funt.

While the program was funny, bus drivers with the Gurdon School District may see no humor in having video cameras on their buses.

But, this is a move the Gurdon School Board had to make in its regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18, after a group of parents complained about one of the drivers.

The district will put one "live" camera on a bus, while the other buses have dummy boxes with lights. None of the drivers will be notified when they are being taped.

According to the parents, the driver, who was unidentified because this is a personnel matter with the district, has a tendency to scream at the children and has been physically abusive at times.

The parents said their children have been getting discipline slips to the point they wonder if the driver is trying to get them all off the bus for the remainder of the year.

Parents complained their children would be given a slip if their child dropped a pencil and retrieved it.

In one instance, the parents said, the driver ran over a child's dog with the child watching. When the student got on the bus, the driver told them to sit down and be quiet. This student was reportedly let off the bus about a mile down the road from their home when the child cried over the loss of their dog.

The driver reportedly has used profane language in front of the children, and allegedly shook a kindergarten student.

The parents claimed this driver is making up rules for the students, and asked the board to do something.

Bobby Smithson, superintendent, said discipline on a school bus is a two- or three-fold problem. The rules, he informed the parents, are very general, with the driver being responsible for the children's safety as their primary duty.

He suggested the parents speak with the driver in question about the problem, then bring the situation to the attention of the appropriate school principal.

Jimmy Martin, Gurdon's transportation director, said he's driven this route and was unable to handle the students involved.

He said these children are "wild", but encouraged the parents to ride and see for themselves. "This is not a normal route," Martin informed the board.

The parents, though, continued arguing their cause. They said this driver has been seen speeding on dirt roads, has slammed on the brakes, throwing students forward into the back of the seat in front of them and ran other drivers off the road.

The issue was discussed during the board's executive session. In fact, this situation took up so much of the session, the board did not discuss the principal's contracts.

However, the district's governing body decided to purchase a video camera and put boxes on all buses so the drivers can be monitored randomly.

The principals' contracts will be discussed at the board's March meeting.

There was some good news at the meeting as well. The board was informed the district will receive a $200,000 grant from the Horace Cabe Foundation to help build a new middle school.

Smithson said the Clark County Youth Development Center, currently housed in the old Gurdon Middle School, received a grant from the foundation for $150,000, with these funds to be used toward the purchase of the old GMS facility.

This, he told the board, will give the district the $350,000 it had requested in the grant proposal.

The district will take second lien bonds in the amount of $650,000 for the rest of the money needed to build a new GMS. This money will be borrowed against funds from assessed property value increases.

In the meantime, the district is advertising the sale of the old GMS facility, as required.

Smithson said next year's assessments will be $40 million for property within the Gurdon district.

He said this translates into $134,000 more money for the school system per year. Because of the growth in anticipated revenue, Smithson said second lien bonds for $650,000 can be issued.

With the grant, Gurdon will have $1 million to build a new middle school on the property with Gurdon High School.

He told the board it is physically and financially sound for the district to move forward with construction of a new GMS at this time.

However, Smithson pointed out there could be a potential problem with the 81st General Assembly. A bill is being considered which could prohibit the district from getting second lien bonds because it requires additional base funding.

As the situation currently stands, Gurdon would not be able to issue the bonds. This is because, under the new funding formula, the district had to have additional base funding.

But, the measure has not passed yet, nor been signed into law. Smithson said area legislators have been contacted and asked to oppose this bill.

Should the bill pass and be signed into law, though, Smithson said the district can divert its efforts into paying off its revolving loan, then borrowing the full $500,000 to build a new school. "We don't want to do it this way," he said. "We need to get moving on it (building a new GMS) now.

"We need to publish our intent to issue second lien bonds and see if the state board (Arkansas Department of Education) approves."

The board approved Smithson contacting architects for price quotes. A special meeting may be called to talk with the architects.

In other business, the board gave Cindy Duke, cheerleader sponsor, permission to purchase a new floor for the Go Devil cheerleaders.

Last month, Duke informed the board of problems with the existing spring floor, saying it had several weak spots and was missing a number of springs and boards.

She will be looking to find a bonded carpet floor, and has been authorized to spend $2,780 for one. This was the price she presented in January, after finding a floor the cheerleaders wanted in Dallas.