The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

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June 28, 2012

ECPS fires 16 for no license

Staff Writer Calvin Adkins

TARBORO — Edgecombe County Public Schools (ECPS) recently terminated 16 employees because they failed to obtain licenses to drive buses.

According to a ECPS Communications & Community Relations Coordinator Lauren Edmondson, a district policy requires teacher's assistants, custodians and food services employees to become certified bus drivers. Apparently 16 of them did not meet the requirement in a timely manner.

Carolyn Owens, a 15-year food service employee, was one of the employees who was terminated. Owens said her termination is unfair.

"I can't get a bus license because I have side vision problems," she said. "I have a doctor's note telling them that and it didn't matter to them. They still fired me. I am (expletive deleted)."

ECPS revised its bus policy during the June board meeting. Shortly afterward, employees who did not meet the requirements were notified they were terminatated.

One of the revisions included all teacher's assistants, custodians and food services employees. The old policy, adopted on Nov. 7, 1994, exempted employees who were hired on or before that date.

"Through the revisions, ECPS clearly states that all teaching assistants, custodians and food service employees need to be licensed to drive a school bus," Edmondson said. "This prevents schools from employing two people when one employee can be dually employed to handle both responsibilities.

Employees who were hired before 1994 have one year to get their license."

The revised policy states, "Current employees who have developed a medical condition after their initial employment and their receipt of their bus driver certification, will be subject to a review by the Department of Motor Vehicles Medical Review Board annually. NOTE: Being medically waived from driving a bus will not ensure continued employment in assigned area. ... Inability to drive a bus may jeopardize continued employment with Edgecombe County Public Schools."

ECPS employs 126 teacher assistants, 64 cafeteria workers and 47 custodians to staff its 14 schools. Of those, 72 currently have bus licenses. The remaining pool of employees are those who were hired before 1994 or are currently enrolled in a bus drivers' class, Edmondson said.

Employees who have additional responsibilities that prevent them from driving a bus, such as one teacher assistant who teaches Braille to a blind student and therefore cannot abandon that duty or student to drive a bus, Edmondson noted.

The terminated employees' positions will be filled with the understanding that all new hires are to have their licenses or made arrangements to get them.

Bus driving classes are offered in the spring, fall and winter.





 

 

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