Ahh...Good 'ole Lobby Day. So me and a couple of teachers took a bunch of 9th graders to Albany to lobby for the money that is owed to us by the State. Let me give you some background:
New York City public schools won a lawsuit that allowed us EQUAL funding that all of NY gets (i.e: the luxurious swimming pools and football fields in Long Island, Upstate NY, etc.) BUT this man 
, our Governor, George Pataki said "Can I get a hell no?" and appealed the suit. Long story short, the appeal process takes about a year. All we're asking for is our equal share Georgie. 
.
So we took our kids to lobby to State Senators and knock on their doors and tell them why public schools derserve the 14 billion owed to us, that we WON in a lawsuit!
Talk about a weird trip. Started with our crazzzy bus driver. I know something was up when he had a walkman on. Is that normal? 
A bit strange yes. But don't you need to hear traffic and stuff? and YES he was dancing too!
I knew something was weird when he took a pit stop an hour into the trip.
Me: "What's up?"
Bus Driver: "I just need a drink. The kids can go to the restroom if they want."
Me: "Ummm...ok. 
"
Dude just wanted a chocolate bar... Anyways so we stop a 40 minutes later...
Me: "What's up?"
Bus Driver: "I thought the kids might want a break. Plus your other bus stopped too."
Me: "Ummmm...that's NOT the other bus. "
Bus Driver: "Oh. Well, we're almost there."
CinnaBon Time!
Then see what happened...Wait a minute....something seems wrong!
That's right Pop. Brake malfunction!
.
One last check...Then reality sets...
Classic. 
Well. What is there left to do? Oh. I know!
Nathan's Time!
"BUUURP!"
Anyhoo..So we had to wait an EXTRA hour and a half for a bus to come from the city to get us to Albany. While we got there, there were kids outside looking like this:
while WE looked like this:
Once we got together, it was great. About 20 of us went to Senator Scott Stringer's (Democrat) office and he was awesome! He spoke to the kids like adults and told them its really important that they came but they were preaching to the choir. He suggested we see a Republican senator and try to tell them our story. Well we went to the "toughest one to crack", John O' Flanagan. Didn't work. His delegate literally was a prick to our kids and was like "I'll make sure I tell all your concerns to my boss." to every question he was uncomfortable dealing with.
Anyway...
THE BUS FIASCO CONTINUES...
If you look closely...those are 50 14 year olds looking for their bus for the past 30 minutes. Apparently some kids were on the bus while the bus driver wasn't.
So I'm lucky to get the good bus right? Look what happened when we got off the GW Bridge...
That's the rearview mirror of a BMW who tried to squeeze thru! Bus driver stopped the car and had to wait for the police to come while we were directed to the nearest train station. Just a typical field trip. I love my job.
Comments (24)
oh dear.
dang...road trips.. gotta love em
haha that guy reminds me of a couple UB bus drivers... theres one guy who tells people who come on with food "how did you know I wanted lunch?" Theyre crazy.. and whats this a bad BMW driver?? haha
i love that nyc people pay the same dang taxes (comparatively, since certain areas of long island does charge a whole shtload but, certain areas of nyc does too) as the long island people but get 2nd rate treatment for their kids' education. it's freaking terrific. generally speaking.. the nyc public education system does turn out many fine students but i think there is definitely a disadvantage, classroom sizes, staff, resoources. and i'm supposed to want to send my kids to nyc schools? such a screwed up system from the highest administration. money rules, rite.
i went to suny albany and worked either in or near that blding you took your students to. at Empire State Plaza , connected to the NYS Assembly blding. saw Pataki a few times, always with 3 or 4 assistant type delegates whatevers. Didn't know hes appealing something like that. and now, thats why i'm not a republican.
i did look just like a boy. thats what i mean by man baby.
i thought the dude got a heart attack.
thats guy.... should file a complaint....
all your students are black...
lmao, oh that's a horrible bus driver! lol reminds me of my limo driver on prom night, yea not a happy situation lol.
but it was rather boring. the senator i was suppose to talk to, didn't show up either, i had to talk to a mean delgate too. eww, they suck.
you should file a complaint, esp about the headphones, that's too scary.
lol, what a bad field trip. ooh i once went to albany when i was in hs to lobby for something, it was great cause i had no classes, and our bus driver wasn't scary, and he let us watch movies.
btw, lol i chose the song on my xanga, cause i couldn't find any other rain songs at the moment, so i just settled for that song b4 i went to class. lol next time it rains i'll try to put a better song.
laterz ~Karen
oh my god. That bus driver is so kickass. Hahaha. I still can't stop giggling over his pained expression.
Propz for trying to set some things straight with the kids. Really admirable.
as for the muffin thing...*cries*
Do you take your camera everywhere ?!
Damn....I hope you had hella chaperones !
=o.
what a fabulous trip...... sort've
oh well - stuff like this keeps life interesting, rightey-o??
^_^
thank you for that encouraging message. Ill see you around May
Greeeeatttt Job..NYC should have better funding to make schools a better place, cus when i went to H.S. the school was so shitty, it seemed like anytime the place was gonna collapse and i was scared to go swimming cus it was in the Basement, and boy that place was Creeeepppyy.
Anyhow maybe i should give u a few pointers for that closet of yours, hahaha i am having a walk-in closet cus i have so much junk.. its a typical girl thing.. right?? weLL maybe when its done, i'll show u some pics.. =)
I got tired just reading all that! Glad to see how motivated all the kids are though!
Omgosh, your first bus driver was a fat slob! and wearing headphones while operating a vehicle is a big NO NO! I would have been scared!
well gosh darnit, atleast ur kids had fun
haha! u r a good bus driver stalker!!!
hahaha... that's some crazy shit!!
haha..lol..funny...but they, u didnt stop at UAlbany while u were here!! i c how it is!!! lol
hey*
someones an uncle now!
hey he could get a ticket for driving with headphones on. You should of told him to take them off because it isn't to drive like that plus you had kids [pre-teens] on the bus.
yo u butt ugly nigga dont f******* talk to my girl