Legislators Line Up Behind School Bus Fair Discipline Bill
APRIL 14 -- State Senator George Latimer (D-Westchester) threw his support behind a bill that would give school bus drivers working for private employers the right to a hearing in the event of discipline preferred by a school district. Right now, school districts can order the dismissal of a driver or matron for any reason or no reason, and the employee and his or her union have no right of due process, because the contractual relationship exists between the bus company and the employee, not the school board. Senator Latimer heard the story of Ramona, who was disqualified by the Yonkers School District and then terminated from Mile Square. She was fired for not driving down a street without clearance for her bus. An insistent driver who demanded that she drive nevertheless turned out to be the spouse of a school board official, who ordered her termination without a hearing. Senator Latimer was also joined in support by Senator Tony Avella (D-Queens), who also said he felt the current situation was unjust and that employees "deserve their day in court."