Hello PulseLine. Thank you for letting me use my freedom of speech in your column. This letter is in response to whomever wrote in about the school bus drivers in the City of Westfield. As a taxpayer and a parent of two children in the Westfield school system, I feel the need to ask several questions that pertain to this article. If what was written is true, then why are the school elected officials letting this continue to happen to the school bus drivers in the City of Westfield? They are going to their job each morning wondering and being stressed out about whether they will be the next one to be removed from the City of Westfield’s driving roster. Whether they obey or make a mistake should not be foremost on their minds. The safety of our children should always be top priority and if you are driving and so concerned about being under a microscope and worrying to the extent that the School Department has them doing. Then, sooner or later, their chances of having an accident or doing something they normally wouldn’t do, will become a reality. Since when did these folks driving a school bus lose their constitutional rights as a human being? In this day and age to just automatically remove (terminate) a professional school bus driver without a warning or an explanation is very inhumane. I find it appalling and disgusting that the School Department and the superintendent of schools can abuse their use of power and have so much control over these people’s lives, without blinking an eye. I’m not so sure after reading this informational article that I want my children even riding a school bus in the City of Westfield. Sounds to me the professional school bus driver has no say in any matter on their bus. I believe this matter needs to be investigated into the heads of these departments who are responsible; the director of transportation manager, the superintendent of schools, and our elected School Committee members. Something is terribly wrong for all this commotion to be going on! A last note: continuing to read on in the classified ads, there is a big block help wanted ad that reads as follows: Lecrenski Brothers Inc. is now hiring licensed professional school bus drivers for the City of Westfield. There must be SOME TRUTH about the original article I read along with my wife about something going on in the City of Westfield and their professional school bus drivers. We demand some action from our elected city officials. WE WANT ANSWERS.
