Number of Signatures: 15

Background: On May 21, 1976 A Yuba City, California High School bus filled with its brightest and most musically talented youth set out for Martinez California where they would be performing. They did not make it to that performance. Why? Because the State of California had so neglected the care of the school bus that its mechanical failure during a critical turn on a freeway turnpike resulted in the bus not being able to adequately make the turn and it plummeted over 30 feet and landed upside down killing or maiming most of the students. Had the bus been adequately serviced and manintained and had the state provided seat belts for all the students it is most certain this trajedy could have been avoided.  You can verify this through archives of the Appeal Democrat newsaper of Yuba City, California or google Yuba City High School bus accident of 1976 in Martinez, California.

The petition states: To President Bush and National Board of Education governing all policies and prodecures affecting our public school systems.

This petition states that all school buses of state ran schools will be mechanically inspected and updated and repaired every week and a log of such maintenace kept and submitted to the schools in that area. This would include brakes, engine and wiring and circuits and now in the modern version the chips, signals, oil and fluid checks, tires, windows, doors and now to also include seat belts.  This petition states that this log will be availabe to all parents and studens so they may at any time inquire as to the upkeep and maintaince of their childs/their buses. This petition states that all school buses will have been updated with seat belts on each seat, a minimum of three belts per seat depending on seat size with no less than two belts per seat and belts effectiveness inspected weekly. The school would be required to hold a brief instruction to all students on how to apply and release belts, every time they get on the bus.

 The bus  or school will not be held liable should the student not apply belt or release belt during route. The driver will be required to explain how to apply and release belts by demonstration, like a stewardess would do on a plane. The bus driver would be allowed to right up any student that did not comply with new regulations and the school could punish student by not allowing them to ride on bus in future for only a certain length of time only and not for an extended length. The bus driver must be required to make one trip to back of bus and back after demonstration to do a quick check to see all belts are afixed. 

 Buses older than twenty years should be sold and not used by our school systems at all, they present too much of a danger and are too costly to maintain. All buses effective immediately will provide seat belts and weekly maintaince logs and inspections that will be available at all schools or bus barns.

 I would also like our highway patrol and local police given the authority to be able to stop a bus suspected of not complying with seat belts and or proper maintance logs and give them a ticket should they not be in compliance with this new law.

Conclusion: How many students must die or become injured before we hold the state to the same set of vehicular regulations imposed on all drivers for child safety? I do not feel they weight of child is necessarily the factor in bus safety and feel that the minimum the state should do is provide seat belts on all school buses effective immediately and provide better maintenance inpections and alot increased funds to upkeep of present school buses. Our children need us to step up to the plate and demand safer environments for them starting now. Will you please sign this petition and share it with others.

 I write this not only because I have children in public schools but because I witnessed this trajedy via television the day after I had my first born son. I wept for these parents and prayed for them because I held my son in my arms and could not imagine the pain and suffering of sending him to school only to have this unnecessary death occur. Let's join together and make the states of this country more accountable for the safety of our children. Thank you.