Monday night, the Lincoln County School District board of trustees discussed installing surveillance cameras on certain school buses.

“We need cameras on buses to show what’s going on,” bus driver Herbert McCullough said.

McCullough expressed his thoughts to the county school board on how misbehaving adolescents get away with bad behavior and why it needed to be brought to their attention. He added many bus drivers feel they cannot intervene in problems that go on to calm students because it turns into a he-said she-said situation that results in the driver being blamed.

Terry Brister, school board superintendent, remarked on the prospect of bus cameras and stated there has always been a need for them, but the exact way to go about has yet to be debated and settled upon.

McCullough stated he was involved in a confrontation this past December before Christmas that caused multiple individuals stress but did not divulge specific details.

“The kids back each other up, so what can you do? Are you going to believe the bus driver or the kid?” McCullough added.

McCullough stated that he was not perfect, but nobody truly is and the idea of being able to keep students behaving while driving his route is hard at times.

“People worry about drivers who talk on the phone, but you just can’t watch all of the kids all of the time while driving,” shared McCullough.

After discussion, the board agreed to take into consideration the prospect of putting some sort of devices in the near future. The process of strategically placing cameras will require the board to research cost and strategy on the matter that will be mentioned at the next board meeting. It was mentioned, as a possibility, of placing cameras in buses by request in order to remain frugal and target buses that have had complaints in the past.

The board also had the rotation of officers for the new year that resulted in Michael Posey as the board president, Johnny Hart as the vice-president and Jack Case as the board secretary.

 

In other news the board also:

 

• Stan Long presented the board with a matter concerning lease issues of the 16th section request.

• Approved of certified or non-certified recommendations.

• Approved the request to remove from or add to the substitute teacher list for the 2014-2015 school year.

• Approved the request to add people to the substitute bus driver list.

• Approved the request to accept donation from Trustmark National Bank.

• Approved the school’s mileage reimbursement rate.

• Approved of private contract.

• Approved to accept the hearing officer’s decision on a student matter.

• Approved of the K – 12 Schools and Public libraries agreement between C Spire and Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services.

• Approved of the request to advertise and accept bids for wireless network equipment for Erate purchase.

• Approved of docket claims.