The Bus Patrol Program and RCBJ: An Op-Ed

The County of Rockland issued a statement this week defending its handling of its School Bus Safety Program. It caught our eye because it appears they chose to take ‘local journalism’ to task for reporting misinformation and a twisting of the facts on what they call a ‘trusted’ blog. Trusted because the county sees all media as a source where people can get the facts. There are plenty of people who have blogs and newsletters. We’re not sure we would call them media, but the county assures us that they care deeply about anything that is online about them. Of course a printed newspaper like ours, with a news website is what we consider media, but that’s something for another day. 

The blog they refer to in the release is called Rockland Business Journal and apparently the blogger posted pieces bringing the county to task on its School Bus Safety Program, which aims to keep children safe while they enter and exit a school bus. We journalists have a basic rule – to not to get personal with our stories. It’s a rule we burn into the heads of our reporters. It leads to a mistrust in our readership with our readers because it clouds our judgment of the facts.

This School Bus program has been a success. Why? The goal is to have a decrease in violations as time goes on, ‘check.’ 

Most violations never receive a second one, ‘check.’

Success!

We all know too well how we feel when we get caught behind a bus that is about to stop for what we consider ‘too long,’ to let a child out of the bus. But so many school kids have gotten hurt over the years, it feels right that we have to stop and not pass a bus with flashing lights. 

Funny thing about traffic laws is that they might not show results quickly, but over time the drivers change their habits and the purpose of the law, in this case, is to prevent kids from getting hit by passing cars. 

Drive safe.