Nancy Bailey: Chattanooga School Bus That Killed Children Was a Private Company

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1. ddigregorio2014 says:

   November 26, 2016 at 10:26 am

   Do not forget the glories of public high school football: Curious: high school football cult has proved to be a dangerous and sometimes deadly game yet an educator’s first priority is to keep students safe.

   Reply
   • Joe says:

     November 26, 2016 at 10:38 am

     The football cult is a national obsession (sickness?). This time of the year broadcast TV is wall to wall football. Americans can’t get enough of this glop. It sells products and is a big business.

     Reply
2. Joe says:

   November 26, 2016 at 10:33 am

   From the article: In 2014, WMC-TV in Memphis found Durham had more than 250 school bus crashes in Memphis in three years. Drivers were at fault more than half the time.

   The report found Durham bus drivers with serious motor vehicle violations and drug records. A bus driver arrested for smoking marijuana on the bus had a previous felony record. End quote.

   Privatization of the commons or the common good always ends up being more expensive and more wasteful. Now the law suits will start flying, and justifiably so, against the bus company and the school district. The CEO of this company should be indicted. Never going to happen. I am sure that these drivers were non union as well.
   I am sure that the trolls will appear with examples of unionized bus drivers and regular district bus drivers having accidents without supplying information about relative percentages and frequency between private versus public operated busses.

   Reply
   • Rudy Schellekens says:

     November 26, 2016 at 9:53 pm

     “The fatal crashes happened in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 7 (one dead); St. Louis, Missouri, on October 5, 2015 (one dead); and Waterbury, Connecticut, on February 17, 2015 (two dead).
     None of those who died were passengers or drivers of the buses, CNN affiliates reported at the time.”

     From WMC – TV

     In Tennessee, the company has been involved in crashes in three counties, according to federal statistics.

     In Shelby County, there were 31 injuries and one fatality as a result of 27 crashes involving the company. In Hamilton County, there were five injuries in six crashes. In Warren County, there was one crash and no reported injuries.

     Walker has been charged with five counts of vehicular homicide. In 2014, he had his license suspended after a crash, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety.

     There have been eight driver violations against Durham since December 2014, according to the administration. Although none of those drivers were in Tennessee, seven of the incidents involved drivers who didn’t have the appropriate license needed to operate the vehicles they were driving.

     In Hamilton County, there were no bus crash fatalities from the 2011-12 school year through the 2014-15 school year, according to state records. Statewide, there were between zero and two fatalities each year.

     So hold the company accountable. That is the right of the District. And even the responsibility. These contracts are (usually) three years, and with cause, you can even end it sooner – AND hold them accountable.

     Reply
3. Rudy Schellekens says:

   November 26, 2016 at 10:37 am

   So naturally the question arises: since 2003, 1354 deaths occurred where a school bus was involved. How many of these involved privatized busses?

   And when you look at the fact that millions of kids are transported 4 BILLION miles a year, mostly by district owned equipment, you should condemn every district as loudly and publicly as privatized transport.

   As a district, running a fleet is one of the highest expenses. Between maintenance, circulation of equipment and insurance, it’s eating financial resources. By outsourcing, the district is also no longer responsible for legal costs.

   And since most districts only have about 15-20% of their general fund available for things other than payroll…

   Reply
4. Eleanor says:

   November 26, 2016 at 10:41 am

   Our district has hired a bus company linked to a crony of Margaret Thatcher’s. Field trips are out of the question unless we can pay close to $300 to “rent” the bus for the day. When we brought this to the admin’s attention, their answer was to “apply for grants.”

   The district will not even keep a few buses of their own so that we can enrich our students’ learning experiences, but they want teachers to apply for grant, so that the money can be turned over to a profiteering enterprise?

   SMDH

   Reply
   • Threatened Out West says:

     November 26, 2016 at 5:31 pm

     I have to pay $200 a day for a field trip bus. I have to write grants and do other things to get field trips, and this is a district-based bus system. Part of the problem in both cases is that bus drivers aren’t paid nearly enough.

     Reply
     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 6:21 pm

       You have to come up with the extra money because there is no room in a district budget for extra trips.
       I challenge you to take a look at your districts budget, and find the cost for your transportation.
       Next, find the amount for district payroll, and see where you want to get the extra money for trips from that budget.
       That’s why you have to write grants.

     • Máté Wierdl says:

       November 27, 2016 at 12:35 am

       “I challenge you to take a look at your districts budget, and find the cost for your transportation.”

       But that’s exactly the strategy: don’t give enough money to districts, and they are forced to accept cheap services which are often “suggested” (ie. Mandated) by the state government.

       Politicians keep spending less and less of our own tax dollars on us, on our kids. What are they saving the money for?

       In connection with higher ed: one of the reasons the Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor resigned this year was the governor’s outsourcing plan.

     • Catherine Blanche King says:

       November 27, 2016 at 2:07 am

       Mate Wierdl writes: “But that’s exactly the strategy: don’t give enough money to districts, and they are forced to accept cheap services which are often ‘suggested’ (ie. Mandated) by the state government.”

       Thank you.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 27, 2016 at 8:28 am

       “Politicians keep spending less and less of our own tax dollars on us, on our kids. What are they saving the money for?”

       Payroll and pensions.

       Iowa spends about 50% of state budget on education.

     • Máté Wierdl says:

       November 27, 2016 at 8:00 pm

       “Payroll and pensions.”

       Those are the very benefits these outsourcings take away from people who make close to minimum wage in schools and universities. But no, the money is given to higher level admins and the people around them. Those expenses steadily go up. You see, there is always a great turnover of admins, and an incoming admin knows very well how much the previous admin made, and so she demands a 20-30% salary increase—while the rest of the crew, like teachers and profs get 0% raise in the same year.

       There are always new admin positions to be created “to help students to do better”, and then to “help the new admins, they need their own, new secretarial staff”.

       The estimate of a university’s outsourcing of building care and janitorial services might be $100-200K, while a single higher level admin makes more (often much more) than that.

       I think the head of ASD makes over $300K. As I recall, Chris Barbic made $350K.

       As I see it, the proponents of outsourcings use the same bs argument as the Waltons and McDonalds use against raising the minimum wage: they make people believe that their business would collapse if they raised the min wage. And people believe them, since it appears, Walmart and McDonalds are the main employers of min wage workers.

       Well, that may be, but the expenses Walmart and McDonalds sustain when they employ these workers is minimal. Elzabeth Warren made this statement: if McDonalds raised the min wage to $10, the price of a $7 meal would have to go up by a full 4 pennies to compensate for the loss in revenue. That’s not even 1% of the proce of the meal.

       http://thecontributor.com/economy/watch-elizabeth-warren-dismantle-right-wing-talking-points-about-minimum-wage

       Rudy: before you continue arguing, think about the fact that you are arguing for making the lives of the lowest paid employees worse—those people who do not make a living wage. If a state wants to save money, they can easily do it where it really makes a difference.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 27, 2016 at 9:13 pm

       Starting pay for teachers in Iowa is over 40000 first year. I consider that a living wage.

       Our aides get a starting pay of 13 – 14 per hour. I consider that a living wage. Custodial staff? More.
       Bus drivers 15 or more.

       Anybody working over 30 hours get benefits.

       Average principal salary rangers between 98k and 106k, depending on grade level.

       Superintendent makes 225k a year

       More than some, less than others.

       Benefits (health) 14500 per family, 5800 single.

       2200 employees that qualify for these benefits.

       You do the math, and see how much this adds up to a year.

     • Máté Wierdl says:

       November 28, 2016 at 9:46 am

       “You do the math, and see how much this adds up to a year.”

       What’s your point with this data from Iowa? That janitors in TN, who make 10/hr or less, student workers or outsourced temp workers who make 8/hr, grad students who make less than min wage are tasking the system?

       How about the fact that more than 60% of public univ employees are admins? How about the median salary of a public univ president in the US being $50K more than Obama’s?

       Somehow the arguments against benefits are always directed against people who do actual work.

       I certainly do the numbers for my university, and they are shocking, but the earth quake is not caused by the outrageous benefits of the janitors.

     • Rudy J Schellekens says:

       November 28, 2016 at 9:50 am

       I am not concerned about the universities, since they were not the topic of conversation. The discussion was about k12 budgets, and why field trips are not always affordable, and grants needed to be written. The comment was that too much was paid to administrators etc.

       The data, for Iowa anyway, shows that NOT to be the case.
       What IS obvious, that every time a salary increase is demanded, other budget items have to give in, since budget increases cannot keep up with salary demands.

     • Máté Wierdl says:

       November 28, 2016 at 1:42 pm

       University salary problems in TN are very similar to other salary problems in TN.

       Rudy: “What IS obvious, that every time a salary increase is demanded, other budget items have to give in, since budget increases cannot keep up with salary demands.”

       Yeah, why can’t states’ salary budgets for teachers and other nonadmin state workers can’t keep up even with inflation?

       1) States allocate money for other projects and salaries (like just in education on admins, charter schools, standardized tests, expensive books) while their non-admin workers are at the lowest on their priority list. For example, TN prefers to pay tens of millions to testing companies instead of giving raises.

       2) States don’t tax rich people enough, though their profits way exceed the inflation rate.

     • Rudy J Schellekens says:

       November 28, 2016 at 9:53 am

       BTW – I do actually work for a living. But I suggested a number of years ago that staff pay a percentage towards their health benefits, because the cost were going up at incredible percentages. We have 2,600 employees, but almost three times that number of people who use the benefits.

     • Threatened Out West says:

       November 26, 2016 at 7:26 pm

       My state pays the least per pupil in the country, Rudy. You don’t have to explain to me why I have to write grants.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 7:41 pm

       So that has zero nada niets to do with outsourcing being responsible for having to write the grant, right??

5. Mary Ollie says:

   November 26, 2016 at 10:44 am

   Two years ago the school board in my community decided to privatize bus services. A year later there were numerous and serious reports about the company however none of the news made the local paper (they knew). Instead the local paper reported on fighting between board members and the end result was a dirty recall that resulted in the board members opposing privatization being recalled. The recall group had access to anonymous donations.

   Today parents simply do not get information as the media throws in with the privatizers…it’s the advertising dollars.

   Reply
   • ddigregorio2014 says:

     November 26, 2016 at 12:19 pm

     The profit media does not and never has had good will towards all. This is why I like the German model where over 50% of the public watch public funded television through a television tax on each set in your home. It is called “oeffentlich rechtlicher fernsehen” or public legal broadcasting independent from government control. Ratings take a back seat to informing, educating and enlightening. I have compared the news media with the immune system in our own bodies – if it is not in balance and working – the whole body gets sick and eventually dies. This is happening to our dear country.

     Reply
6. GST says:

   November 26, 2016 at 11:02 am

   This tragedy happened in Lamar Alexander’s state. Is he going to raise the issues laid out by Ms. Bailey surrounding privatization at Devos’ confirmation hearing or has he become such a political hack that he will fall in line with the ideologues in his party who care as much about these student deaths as they did about the children slaughtered in Newtown? Paul Ryan probably has a moment of silence already scheduled for the House when they come back in session. I doubt Devos would ever be persuaded by anything Bailey or other true education advocates have to say. She is an ideologue whose brand of “Christianity” apparently teaches that greed and intolerance are the ways to salvation.

   Reply
7. Catherine Blanche King says:

   November 26, 2016 at 11:36 am

   Diane writes (with tongue in cheek) about “the glories of privatization” where “employees are less likely to be screened.” But also, employees are less likely to have a sense of belonging to group with a concerted purpose (as are public schools) and so less likely to harbor a sense of excellence about their work that is tied to ownership and responsibility for those involved in what they do. That kind of “identity,” is hard to quantify or even to locate clearly in those involved. And yet there is an obvious split foundation at work in owing one’s allegiance to an “outside” company where their interest is less about the good of the children as a legitimate end, than about the “good of the children” as means to that “outside” company’s ends. Those ends may be legitimate in abstraction; but as concretely identified with the children involved, they are not–rather they are split away from the very human-oriented work that they do.

   The above split shares the basic structure of the split foundations that occur when schools in a democracy are privitatized. Even if some schools and teachers do well here and there in their education of children, still, the foundations remain split; and so the school is built on, so to speak, and remains on a kind of fault line where earthquakes are easy to set off and potential to occur.

   On the other hand, when educational institutions that are “of the people” and, thus, are fully under-girded by what is truly democratic and public, the foundation remains solid and whole. This is so because the school and everything about it is a means to the end: of the children and their development as persons in the community of “we the people” and all that surrounds that idea. (We don’t discount financial security down the road and preparing for “getting a job,” but it’s not the governing idea. The governing idea is to be a responsible citizen in a vibrant democracy. Everything else flows from that idea.)

   But when the foundations are split where, for instance, public monies go for private institutions, the means-ends situation is reversed in at least a partial aspect of the school’s foundations. This is where the split occurs and continues to permeate, “erupt” and operate throughout the institution, e.g., tensions occur where questions of oversight, regulations, power sources, curricula (and on and on) are concerned. That is, **with privatization, the children become means to a child-dissociated end. that end, instead of being what is good for the vibrancy of the culture itself, is centered on the corporation itself and whatever motivations are endemic to “the split-off people” behind the corporation and its survival regardless of the public they are supposed to be serving (ha ha). concretely, what is truly “public” must be bent to the ends of the corporation, and not the other way around.

   In the shorter term, however, the total absurdity of privatization where public monies are concerned and where public regulation is systematically missing is just another form of corporate welfare and an egregious statement of the personal hubris and arrogance of those concerned–namely, DeVos and the Gates among many others. Will the outrages to the democracy and to the public consciousness never end.

   Reply
   • NoReformNeeded says:

     November 26, 2016 at 2:08 pm

     I thinks is the best post I have read on here. Excellent.

     Reply
     • Catherine Blanche King says:

       November 26, 2016 at 2:33 pm

       NoReformNeeded: Thank you for your kind comment.
       Catherine

   • Rudy Schellekens says:

     November 26, 2016 at 2:32 pm

     All drivers were given jobs after we outsourced and are subject to the same screening like every district employee.
     Even contractors and their employees are subject to the same screening.
     Our bus drivers are as involved with our kids. Some realize that they may be driving their own kids or grandkids one day.

     To judge the 1,000nds of driver by the act of one is ridiculous.

     That’s like me saying that ALL democrats are liars, claim credit for others accomplishments and shirk responsibility for acts committed.
     Would you accept such a statement?

     Reply
     • Catherine Blanche King says:

       November 26, 2016 at 6:21 pm

       Good grief, Rudy. You need to go to work for a company who specializes in building straw men. And it’s you, I think, who are using the particular (of good specific circumstance) to “jump to conclusions” and claim the general rule.

       But to answer your question: No–not extrapolating from one particular instance to make a universal claim. Yes, I am showing how one particular instance CAN be (but not necessarily IS) an example of what occurs when foundations are split–which is what I was explaining as briefly as I could and with the metaphor of sitting on a fault-line.

       Your example of good occurrences is the same as mine with bad occurrences. In neither case are the circumstances necessarily universal. With split foundations, however, my specific case holds the conditions for poor circumstances to be far more likely to occur, especially under management whose own salaries are tied mainly to “saving money.”

       I cannot believe you didn’t really understand what I was trying to say, however. It’s not necessary that THIS particular case WAS an example; but that such tensions are to be expected when foundations are split accordingly. Along with foundations, motivations are split and the ends/means relationship is reversed. When the bottom like is the “end,” and everything else is the “means,” then it’s much easier to drift towards losing the threads that hold the children in their proper place in the pecking order.

       In the case of bus drivers, my guess is that it’s similar to when I was an adjunct instructor at several colleges. I was “used” by the colleges and universities that I worked for but, still, I was “identified” with the excellences of my profession and with my responsibility to my students growth. <–similar in some sense to what you say about the bus drivers driving for their kids. But I had little or no support from the schools I worked at, no collegiality, no sense of belonging–far from it. In fact, the schools took advantage of my (and many others’) sense of professionalism; and they treated us much like you would treat a no-skill day-worker. I don’t think the situation fares well with the students, either–they think of adjunct professors as not really respected enough by the college to hire you full time or provide resources that they do other teachers.

       But contracted-out bus drivers and adjuncts (writ-small) are similar to private schools (writ-large) in this respect–their foundations are split in the way I have explained above. When problems occur, we can always look to “surface” causes, some of which are true and some are not. But sometimes it’s because of those splits which, if corrected, the problems become, if not gone, lessened in degree. And none of that says there aren’t problems to deal with in all-public school environments. So don’t go there either.

       There’s much more to it, but this is a blog. And you wouldn’t, I think, say that your particular good case can be extrapolated to be the case for all everywhere either.

     • Catherine Blanche King says:

       November 26, 2016 at 6:24 pm

       Rudy: Re-post–didn’t show up. Sorry if it repeats. Catherine

       Good grief, Rudy. You need to go to work for a company who specializes in building straw men. And it’s you, I think, who are using the particular (of good specific circumstance) to “jump to conclusions” and claim the general rule. But to answer your question: No–not extrapolating from one particular instance to make a universal claim. Yes, I am showing how one particular instance CAN be (but not necessarily IS) an example of what occurs when foundations are split–which is what I was explaining as briefly as I could and with the metaphor of sitting on a fault-line.

       Your example of good occurrences is the same as mine with bad occurrences. In neither case are the circumstances necessarily universal. With split foundations, however, my specific case holds the conditions for poor circumstances to be far more likely to occur, especially under management whose own salaries are tied mainly to “saving money.”

       I cannot believe you didn’t really understand what I was trying to say, however. It’s not necessary that THIS particular case WAS an example; but that such tensions are to be expected when foundations are split accordingly. Along with foundations, motivations are split and the ends/means relationship is reversed. When the bottom like is the “end,” and everything else is the “means,” then it’s much easier to drift towards losing the threads that hold the children in their proper place in the pecking order.

       In the case of bus drivers, my guess is that it’s similar to when I was an adjunct instructor at several colleges. I was “used” by the colleges and universities that I worked for but, still, I was “identified” with the excellences of my profession and with my responsibility to my students growth. <–similar in some sense to what you say about the bus drivers driving for their kids. But I had little or no support from the schools I worked at, no collegiality, no sense of belonging–far from it. In fact, the schools took advantage of my (and many others’) sense of professionalism; and they treated us much like you would treat a no-skill day-worker. I don’t think the situation fares well with the students, either–they think of adjunct professors as not really respected enough by the college to hire you full time or provide resources that they do other teachers.

       But contracted-out bus drivers and adjuncts (writ-small) are similar to private schools (writ-large) in this respect–their foundations are split in the way I have explained above. When problems occur, we can always look to “surface” causes, some of which are true and some are not. But sometimes it’s because of those splits which, if corrected, the problems become, if not gone, lessened in degree. And none of that says there aren’t problems to deal with in all-public school environments. So don’t go there either.

       There’s much more to it, but this is a blog. And you wouldn’t, I think, say that your particular good case can be extrapolated to be the case for all everywhere either.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 6:59 pm

       “But that’s the point–outsourcing bus services is putting children at risk. The pay was so bad that this driver was working another job to make ends meet. If the company wasn’t trying to make as much money as they could, then maybe the drivers would be better paid, making it safer for students on those buses.”

       This is what responded to. The “point” is an incorrect start. It ASSUMES a built-in carelessness because the busing is out-sourced. That is about as close to a trumpism as you can get. Were some of the illegal immigrants rapist, gang members and drug dealers? Sure. His statement following his condemnation was, “O, I am sure there were SOME good people among them too…” Now change “outsourced” with illegal immigrant, and you have created the same intent: The driver of this particular bus was outsourced, outsourced drivers drivers put children at risk. I am sure some of them are good drivers,too…”

       And I know this will get me into a whole lot of trouble, which is not my intention. I have a strong dislike for generalizations like the above. And I have too much respect for the 150 or so drivers of our kids’ buses who do work for “our outsourced” company

   • Catherine Blanche King says:

     November 26, 2016 at 3:26 pm

     Addendum to my note above: “just another form of corporate welfare and an egregious statement of the personal hubris and arrogance of those concerned–namely, DeVos and the Gates among many others. Will the outrages to the democracy and to the public consciousness never end.”

     IF the super-wealthy really want to improve the education of children and the democratic culture we all live in and, BTW, what supports their own lives across-the-board, then they would put their funding, influence, and lobbying efforts into supporting Adult Education and Family Literacy programs along with public education and ongoing resource developments for teachers.

     Legitimate differentiation of groups can be implemented well from a public-education base without resort to privatization. Also, families (with support of Adult Education and Family Literacy), over the long run, are the best early-sources of childhood education and well-care–might I say those who can best “provide for the general welfare” of our children–all of them, and prepare them for entering formal public education.

     But then again, that’s probably a big IF.

     Reply
   • Zorba says:

     November 26, 2016 at 6:02 pm

     Exactly this ^^^^ Catherine. Brava, brava!

     Reply
8. Gordon Wilder says:

   November 26, 2016 at 2:02 pm

   The school bus driver had numerous complaints by the children riding on the bus. He was on a road where he was not supposed to be. etc etc.
   Just one example of the “great” work by corporate America mentality.

   Reply
   • Rudy Schellekens says:

     November 26, 2016 at 2:36 pm

     That means the Employer, which I think is Durham, needs to be held accountable – not the local district.

     Reply
     • Threatened Out West says:

       November 26, 2016 at 5:33 pm

       But that’s the point–outsourcing bus services is putting children at risk. The pay was so bad that this driver was working another job to make ends meet. If the company wasn’t trying to make as much money as they could, then maybe the drivers would be better paid, making it safer for students on those buses.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 6:15 pm

       In my best Greek, that is hogwash. We have seen no decrease in the care and concern for our kids. We do not have kids left on buses (Like we did before the change). We do not have kids left behind in any different different numbers than before.

       You (generic) have a habit of blaming the multitudes for the mishaps of the few. Look again at the numbers.

       With the enormous number of kids transported by school buses every day, the number of accidents is minimal. Now work the number of privatized drivers into that equation, and what do you end up with? There is no higher number of events with the private drivers compared to the district drivers.

       ANY school bus accident is bad, but accidents by privatized drivers are no worse than district drivers.

     • Catherine Blanche King says:

       November 26, 2016 at 6:58 pm

       Rudy–in my view, you are missing the deeper and surrounding points in your last few posts. For instance, why are the budgets so slim that they cannot pay for field trips; and teachers have to add to their burdens of teaching to write grants for such things?

       Also, I responded to your note to me on this thread and posted it twice, but don’t see it here yet. Don’t know what happened. I’ll wait and see.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 7:01 pm

       BECAUSE 85% of the district budgets have to be spent on payroll! An ever increasing percentage. Again, look at your own district. You forgo next year’s pay increase, and you will have your field trip paid for, I guarantee

     • Catherine Blanche King says:

       November 26, 2016 at 8:31 pm

       Rudy: If that’s your answer–forgo increases in teacher pay–then I was right in my appraisal of your limited view.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 9:24 pm

       What I am saying is that the budgets schools have are limited, and choices have to be made. A company can make a better widget and up the price. The schools cannot turn out a better student and ask for more money.
       School funds are limited in the things which can be done to raise those funds.
       You can raise taxes only so much. And making up the losses from the last few years with a Democrat governor takes a long time, too.
       If outsourcing busing makes financial sense in saving a district money, you end up with few choices. Had we kept that in our own control, we would be in much worse financial shape.
       In the end, he budget makes the decision, whether we like them or not. As a member of a non-bargaining unit, I have paid the price for those choices.

     • Máté Wierdl says:

       November 27, 2016 at 12:41 am

       “You (generic) have a habit of blaming the multitudes for the mishaps of the few. Look again at the numbers.”

       Did you read the article?

       But the company’s buses have already had 17 wrecks in Tennessee so far this year.

       In those wrecks, a total of 19 people were hurt and one person was killed.

       The fatal crash happened in Memphis in September.

       In 2014, WMC-TV in Memphis found Durham had more than 250 school bus crashes in Memphis in three years. Drivers were at fault more than half the time.

       The report found Durham bus drivers with serious motor vehicle violations and drug records. A bus driver arrested for smoking marijuana on the bus had a previous felony record.
       

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 27, 2016 at 10:06 am

       Yes I read the article -and more. There are 1,300 bus routes in Shelby county alone. 1,200 were new or changed that year. So unfamiliarity can cause issues.
       Apart from that, having a wreck does not mean that the bus driver was responsible.

     • dianeravitch says:

       November 27, 2016 at 10:11 am

       Rudy,

       What you do not understand is that for-profit companies put profits first, not customers or safety or quality. That is why the US Bureau of Prisons recommended last fall to stop giving contracts to for-profit prison corporations and to end existing contracts. Less safety, low quality food, poorly trained staff. Cutbacks on programs to help prisoners gain skills for the workforce. When Trump was elected, their stock prices soared.

     • Threatened Out West says:

       November 26, 2016 at 7:28 pm

       I would love to see proof that corporations care as much as teachers do about students, but I’m not going to hold my breath.

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 7:58 pm

       From my way of thinking, if I were a company, I could not afford for my drivers NOT to be concerned about the safety and wellbeing of the kids.
       As a company I get sued every time something happens. I can blame it on the driver, but in the rnd, the deepest pockets get sued – and those do not belong to the driver!
       Sure, I can fire the driver but that’s too little, too late.

     • dianeravitch says:

       November 26, 2016 at 9:02 pm

       I remember the same thing said about slave owners. They could not be cruel to their slaves because they would not damage their property.

       The reality is that for-profit companies slash costs to make money. They want low-wage workers and they cut corners.

       Did you read this:

       http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/12/08/when-public-goes-private-as-trump-wants-what-happens/

     • Rudy Schellekens says:

       November 26, 2016 at 9:29 pm

       I do not care what trump has to say about what he is GOING to do, since we are discussing what the relationship between the Tennessee accident and outsourcing. I took exception to connection between outsourcing and the employee’s care and concern for the kids they transport.
       From what I see in our District, the care has not changed.

9. Máté Wierdl says:

   November 26, 2016 at 3:44 pm

   The TN Governor wants to outsource more and more public services. In the beginning of next year, all public building maintenance and janitorial services will be outsourced, but later reportedly IT services will be also outsourced.

   The Governor was keeping these plans secret, but even after the plans got out, and is opposed by most everbody including the TN legislature, he presses on.

   I was at this protest. Look at all the signatures.

   http://wkms.org/post/haslam-s-plan-more-outsourcing-gets-icy-reception-tennessee-lawmakers#stream/0

   Here’s a typical university reaction to the plans.

   http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/02/10/ut-official-says-haslam-outsourcing-plan-would-disaster/80191272/

   Since universities got new boards this year, who knows what’s gonna happen to these outsourcing plans.

   The beneficiary of the outsourcing would be an out of state firm called Jones Lang LaSalle.

   
   Tennessee has already outsourced some government buildings. In 2013, it turned management of 6 million square feet worth of offices over to Jones Lang LaSalle, a Chicago firm that was also serving as a real estate adviser to the state. The Haslam administration says that deal is saving the state millions each year.

   The governor wants to take that idea still further. Officials note that Tennessee has about 94 million square feet of real estate, all told, including university buildings, prisons and state parks.

   But Knoxville Republican Richard Briggs, whose district includes the University of Tennessee, says such thinking misses the toll on working people, like those who clean up at UT. He sees no reason to take work away from them.

   “No one seems to understand why Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are gaining the traction that they have and it’s the phenomena that we’ve seen nationally. But I think I’m starting to get it,” says Briggs.
   

   Why the push to hire this firm? Well, the title of the following article is

   Governor Invested In Company Getting $330 Million Contract
   

   http://www.newschannel5.com/story/22554320/governor-invested-in-company-getting-330-million-contract

   Reply
   • dianeravitch says:

     November 26, 2016 at 4:14 pm

     So Gov Haslam is hiring a Chicago firm and firing the local workers.

     Reply
     • Máté Wierdl says:

       November 27, 2016 at 12:17 am

       Well, the Governor claims, nobody gets fired. The workers and their union certainly don’t believe this, but they do believe that the savings will come about by taking their benefits away.

10. Laura H. Chapman says:

    November 26, 2016 at 3:45 pm

    Outsourcing to the lowest bidder is
    job one if you do not care about anything but education as a business.

    Reply
    • Máté Wierdl says:

      November 27, 2016 at 12:18 am

      It’s not clear at all if their are biddings for these outsourcings.

      Reply
11. Máté Wierdl says:

    November 29, 2016 at 11:11 am

    Here is an article with some stats about outsourced and district managed bus oprations

    http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2016/11/28/nashville-only-large-school-district-tennessee-not-privatize-bus-service/94558124/

    Districts that use outsourced school buses had roughly the same rate of accidents per driver as those with district-operated bus service, according to an analysis of state data for the four school years ending June 30, 2015.

    Accidents were more likely to result in injuries, though, for outsourced bus service.

    For every 100 accidents at outsourced districts, 13 resulted in injuries, compared with eight at publicly run school services.
    

    13 is a 60% increase from 8.

    Reply

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