INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS A GREAT HONOR
ALABAMA SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR REFLECTS ON THE MURDER OF SCHOOL BUS DRIVER CHARLES POLAND AND HOW THE INCIDENT CHANGED HIS COMMUNITY
WRITTEN BY SYLVIA ARROYO
£ Bynum poses with his award along with Pam Mills, Classworks Premium Sponsor, and John Heard, president of the School Superintendents of Alabama.
D
ale County Schools Superin- tendent Donny Bynum said he was awestruck, humbled and honored when the School
Superintendents of Alabama recognized him in January as the state superintendent of the year for 2014. He has been widely praised for his lead- ership of the Dale County School system in the aftermath of the Jan. 29, 2013, murder of school bus driver Charles Poland, Jr., and the abduction of then 5-year-old Ethan, a special needs boy. Te situation began a six- day hostage standoff, ending with authori- ties killing the assailant and rescuing Ethan. “[Te award] was a reflection on not
only me, but the school district and the community, and it shows how we all worked together,” Bynum told STN. “I think it’s fitting that all of us were recognized.” Poland’s selfless act was remembered at
a Feb. 5 ceremony in Midland City, Ala. Tere Bynum, Joe Lightsey, director of pupil transportation for the Alabama Depart- ment of Education, and other state and law enforcement officials reportedly called the driver “a true American hero,” and told children at the gathering to “honor his death by becoming the best you can possibly be.”
18 School Transportation News April 2014
Officials at the event also unveiled the
new “Charles Poland Jr. Memorial High- way” sign located near the shooting site off of Highway 231.
‘SPIRIT OF COOPERATION’
Being the best superintendent and person possible has been Bynum’s mantra since the tragedy. He’s passed that message to all school district personnel and students. He has stressed the importance of being there for others in times of need. Bynum said his main focus at the school district after the event was returning to some sense of normalcy. “After what we went through and what
we saw, we thought of Mr. Poland every day. We realized how each and every day is precious and to make the best of each day, because we were still in shock and disbelief at what had happened,” he explained. “You realize something like this can happen anywhere, and you reflect back.” During the school year, Bynum said he saw a more congenial spirit among the children and staff members, and there were fewer bullying incidents reported. Every- one at the school district has become more mindful of meeting the needs of others, particularly of students.
“Tere’s more of a spirit of cooperation,
and realizing there’s more to it than the academic part,” he said. “We have to pay attention to the daily emotional needs of the children. Tey had picked up a lot from that incident, and realized how much their class- mates hurt, and how we hurt as a community. We just look at things a little differently now.” Tough he doesn’t communicate with
Poland’s family regularly, he will drop a card in the mail from time to time, and he encourages his bus drivers to do the same. He added that the student passengers on Poland’s bus are still receiving some counseling yet continue to thrive, including Ethan, who Bynum said “has sprouted four or five inches” since the event. By the way Ethan looks, he noted, “you can tell he’s certainly been loved.” Bynum said he wakes up each day think- ing about Poland, and his second thought is treating people the way Poland did. “He saw good in people, and he especially
saw good with the kids on his bus,” he said. “He was probably too trusting, but that’s something I’d like to be more like. He’s an incredible individual that we can all look up to, to pattern our lives, no matter what role we are in.”
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