“Think of how great it will be to make a child’s life better by allowing him or her to be treated like a ‘normal’ child, to go to the bus stop like a general ed student, to ride the big bus, and to grow boundlessly.”-Pete Meslin


Unified School District in Southern California, and I can attest to the wonderful difference it has made in children’s lives. Students start with no idea about busing. But in six lessons over as many weeks as needed, they learn the skills necessary to wait properly, board, ride effectively, and exit the bus appropriately. In addition to drivers loving the program, these skills last a lifetime and set students up for a professional career when they are old enough. Empathy is an emotion you should already have. But


like most everything else, it could require practice to master. Try to put yourself in the position of a parent of a child with special needs, or the child themself. Be hard on the issues but be soft on the people. In a world where relationships matter, once you’ve ruined a relationship


it’s very hard to “un-ruin” it. Think of how great it would be to make a child’s life better by allowing him or her to be treated like a “normal” child, to go to the bus stop like a general ed student, to ride the big bus, and to grow boundlessly. Advocating for students takes courage and perseverance but it pays off immensely. ●


Pete Meslin is the retired director of transportation for Newport-Mesa Unified School District in Southern California and a member of the TSD Conference National Board of Advisors. He is also a consultant to Access Exchange International, a nonprofit advocate for inclusive public transit of persons with disabilities worldwide.


www.stnonline.com 25


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76