STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — Several bus drivers in Stanly County were off the job again Tuesday as they continue to advocate for better and also spoke out at Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting.
The drivers WCNC Charlotte spoke with are calling for minimum pay to be raised to $16 an hour. They would also like COVID-19 hazard pay, as well as a person acting as a bus monitor on every bus.
Bus drivers attended the protest Monday instead of going on their usual routes transporting students to and from school -- all to make a point that Stanly County Schools needs its bus drivers.
While drivers were not seen protesting again Tuesday, WCNC Charlotte did learn that some of them again called out of work.
“We’re not willing to lay down and just be walked all over anymore," Stanly County school bus driver Kimberly Carpenter said. "We want to be acknowledged.”
Tuesday night, Carpenter and several other bus drivers all spoke before the Stanly County Board of Education to express their concerns.
“Those people that have been here 20 years -- how do you compensate someone for loyalty?" Ashley Garner, a bus driver for more than 10 years, said. "They need a pay increase, there needs to be a pay increase across the board.”
Members of the board agreed but said it's a process that takes time.
“We hear you and we’re considering what you’re saying," Stanly County BOE member Rufus Lefler said.
Board members said they wanted bus drivers to know they were working toward a solution.
“They’re working and they are trying to figure out how we can help all the employees including the bus drivers, because at the end of the day like you said, you are the front line," Stanley County BOE member Anthony Graves said.
The protests led schools and parents alike to scramble for transportation for students.
Beth Pratt said her son and daughter both ride the bus in Stanly County, and when her son's bus didn't pick him up Monday morning, she was frustrated, but not at the bus drivers.
"There wasn't an immediate call going out to the parents explaining what happened," Pratt said. "There's kids who don't have parents sitting at home waiting for them to get on the bus. These kids just didn't get to school."
While Pratt was able to get her son to school a different way than the bus, she knows not every parent has that option, calling on the school district to find a resolution.
"This is a trickle-down situation now where there's other, you know, businesses that are going to be affected because their employees are coming in late or can't come in or whatever, have to get off to pick up their kid," Pratt said. "Like, step up to the plate if at all possible."
Bus drivers told WCNC Charlotte they want to keep driving students in this district, but they need more money to keep doing it in Stanly County.
"We're not being greedy," Garner said. "We're at $13.07. We're had our meeting yesterday at Dunkin' Donuts. They said they could offer us $17 starting there making donuts. So why would we continue to endanger our life like we're doing? We need to be reciprocated."
Garner said the bus drivers need support from the community as they advocate for better pay.
"I want the parents, I want the school officials, everybody — call the board of education. Call the bus garage," Garner said. "Let them know what strain y'all in cause y'all don't have the bus drivers."
Pratt said she realizes the tough job bus drivers have and supports paying them more.
"We pay more to, probably, an Uber driver. That's absurd," Pratt said. "They have like tons of kids in their bus. It's a matter of safety. I mean, it's absurd. They need to step up to the plate and do what they need to do get the buses back going and make the bus drivers feel appreciated."
Tuesday evening, Stanly County Superintendent Jarrow Dennis provided the following statement to WCNC Charlotte:
"Stanly County Schools recognizes the impact that COVID-19 has had on our staff. We are working on developing ways to recognize and reward our employees for their continued efforts through the pandemic, including salary increases and monetary incentives. However, this takes time to develop, and it will not happen overnight. Currently, we are experiencing disruptions in transportation that are impacting families, children, and classrooms across the district. We hope that staff will pull together to resolve these disruptions, and provide normality for our students whose education has already been disrupted by the pandemic. We value all of our employees, and continue to work on ways to recognize their hard work and dedication."
Contact Kendall Morris at kmorris2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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