Ever gone on a field trip with the Ravenna schools? Was it a pleasant experience? Mine sure wasn't! I went with the third and fourth graders from Willyard Elementary on a field trip to Cleveland to ride on the Goodtime III. Nice trip. The bus ride, however, was not so nice. We were on bus #27. First of all, there was absolutely no attempt to control the students, i.e. staying in their seats, not screaming, using "inside" voices. In the students' defense, they almost had to yell to hear each other, even in the same seat, because the bus driver had the radio on so loud--and she kept turning it up! Had we encountered an emergency vehicle with a siren on, there's no way the driver could have heard it! Also, the music being played was completely inappropriate for 8-year-olds. I got to hear an entire busload of 8-year-olds singing (at the top of their lungs), "I wanna lick you like a popsicle"! Is this what you want your 8-year-old hearing on a city school bus? I sure don't!

Your role as a chaperon on bus trips is to maintain law and order on the bus. The driver's job is to Drive! I have driven many of these trips where the chaperone's "kick back" and let the students have a free-for-all. They will sit in the front of the bus and chat, never looking back at the children. Next trip...help your driver! Inappropriate music should not be tolerated. Your driver probably could not hear the music for all of the chaos! The engine noise is also loud for the driver. Everyone should drive a school bus just once in their life! It is hectic and rewarding all at the same time...There is nothing like a little one handing you a fresh picked bouquet of dandelions as a reward for taking them to school!

I have to agree, it is stressful enough for the drivers to drive two-four times a day with a bunch of kids. The only Ravenna based field trip that I have experienced is with the preschool , and it was only a few minutes down the street.
My daughter is now entering the 6th grade at Waterloo. We recently endured a 5hr trip both ways to go to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn MI. The drive there was fairly peaceful (because we left at 5am and they were instructed to try to sleep until our breakfast stop)
The only advice I can offer is... you can control your child (or group), but sometimes you get stuck with a few "slackers".

I agree also what were you doing? What did you expect the driver to do? She was DRIVING..The Teachers and Staff are not aloud to punish kids anymore because of parents that let their kids do as they please so there is no way the driver could do any thing antway, we can thank parents for that (not all just a select few that think school is suppose to be built in sitters). Parents complained so much to the Government that their child should not be punished that the schools had no choice! We all know that is a fact! They are not afraid to do exactly what we wanted to do when we were on the bus but we knew if we did we would be punished and when we got home we would be punished again. Now it is unheard of for a child to get sent to the office to get a WHACK! Has any of you heard of any of those latly? So as a parent of a well behaved child you and who ever went along to help should have made them mind and let that driver do the job! Teachers and staff that are suppose to be teaching school lessons not how to behave in public.Thats our job no child is perfect but they should be taught to respect adults, ya never know what your child is doing when not around you. but I can't imagine not doing any thing but complain about the bus driver if the kids were as bad as you say! I dont have a clue what they make but if you figure probably 30 kids or more on that bus for a total of 3 hours??? The driver probably made more as a teen babysitting! As a chaperon maybe you could have quieted them down? So I say in the Bus Drivers DEFENCE give her some credit, last time I checked parents are suppose to help on field trips not degrade the person who drives the most precious thing in your life every day.I am sure the driver felt the same towards you as you watched...Can't believe that music was played if it was I think your complaining to the wrong people!! Maybe you and the other ADULTS should have started a song with the kids?

The driver chose the job & parents are not allowed to do anything or they are the one's getting in trouble.Since it was a school function the teachers were supposed to make the trip safe which they did not.At least this parent made an effort to do something with her child & I don't think being forced to listen to vulgar music with children is any way to say thanks for your time.I wish the school system would do something about the drivers because this has been an ongoing problem for some time.