School Bus Driver Bans Reading On Bus, Sparks Safety Debate
In this day and age, finding a child who loves reading books is a rare sight. Eight-year-old Sarah Auger, from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, loves to read so much that she fills her 20-minute bus ride with it — until her driver told her she had to stop.
Photo Credit: iStock.com
Sarah said her driver told her reading on the bus was a safety risk because other children may stand up to look at her book or that she could poke her eye with the book’s corners.
Sounds like a satirical news story but it’s not.
CBC should stop trying to pass of satire as real news... Wait, what? http://t.co/1Vhzf6Khou
— Rob Breakenridge (@RobBreakenridge) April 22, 2015
Daniel Abel, Sarah’s father, thinks the rule is useless and wants it changed.
In a statement issued by Mario Champagne, the general secretary and director of communications for the Hautes-Rivière school board, the board stands by their driver’s decision because, “the responsibility of a school bus driver is to transport students safely.”
Online, people seem to agree with Sarah’s father and also bring up other safety hazards on school buses.
@stevenandchris WHATTT ? Reading a safety risk now I've heard everything �� so maybe we should ban reading on city buses & subways planes ect
— Debra gordon (@Donniesdeva) April 23, 2015
@stevenandchris This is totally stupid as the poor girl has to sit on that bus "WITHOUT SEATBELTS"!!! Time to focus on bigger issues!! #fail
— MJ (@mj1toronto) April 23, 2015
@stevenandchris If a sheepdog is driving, yes.
— Jesilou Tongio (@exitghost) April 23, 2015
Even our Parenting Panel’s Erica Ehm got fired up over this story!
@stevenandchris @hinakhantherapy @shulgan @Taylor_Kaye Of course not. Don't get me started! Whens our next show so I can RANT!
— Erica Ehm (@YummyMummyClub) April 23, 2015