Cameras on buses no longer function

None of the cameras installed on Richmond County school buses are working, and they haven't worked for years, Transportation Director Michael Shinn acknowledged Monday.

After they broke, Mr. Shinn decided to leave some of the cameras on the buses.

"It's not working, but there is some deterrent to leaving them up," he said. "There's some value to having something up there where it looks like they're being recorded."

At least 25 broken cameras remain on the buses, including Bus 9718, where the camera didn't deter two Sego Middle School girls from fighting Nov. 22. The fight ended with 13-year-old Tyeisha Sims falling out of the bus and getting run over. Authorities said a working camera might have aided their investigation.

Currently, the school district relies on bus monitors to stop some disruptions. The district employs 10 bus monitors, paying them between $7.80 and $9.98 an hour to rotate on "problem buses" and maintain order.

With problems increasing, Superintendent Charles Larke has asked local legislators to provide state funding for more monitors, but they have indicated the state budget is too tight.

School board attorney Pete Fletcher said the district would consider using parent volunteers if state legislators would authorize training and give them immunity. Liability issues prevent the school system from using untrained volunteers.

"The primary issue is the training and the protection of the school district and the parents," Mr. Fletcher said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shinn said the driver of Bus 9718, Robert Thompson, has been allowed to collect a paycheck while sitting at home during the accident investigation. The day of the accident, Deputy Superintendent James Thompson told The Augusta Chronicle that the driver would continue working and be assigned nondriving duties.

Asked about the discrepancy Friday, school officials said they would tell the bus driver to return to work Monday and perform nondriving duties.

Transportation officials also said the driver had been trained to stop the bus when a fight started. Police say Mr. Thompson kept driving as the two girls fought. He told police he was trying to make it to an area where teachers were so they could help stop the fight. Police say he did not see Tyeisha fall out of the bus, leading him to roll over the girl, who is recovering from serious injuries at an Atlanta rehabilitation center.

According to school documents, drivers who encounter a fight are instructed to stop the bus, park in a safe location off the road and secure the bus. If the offense is serious enough, drivers are instructed to call the office personnel.

"They will send public safety to you," the training document states.