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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No mask so school bus left my DD

492 replies

onanislandfaraway · 14/06/2021 22:34

Both me and my DP was at work today so my 13yo DD has to be home alone for a couple of hours until DP gets home at 6pm. I texted her asking did she get home OK and she told me she'd lost her mask during a sports session at school and that the school bus wouldn't let her on so left her at school.

She didn't want to hassle me or DP at work so rang her nan to pick her up and thank god she was able to and only lives a 15 minute drive away so wasn't waiting around too long. Her school is in the next town over to where we live so way too far for her to walk home. AIBU to think that the school bus is responsible for getting children home and should not have just left her at the school? Shouldn't they have spare masks just incase of instances like this? I will of course be making sure she has plenty of spare masks in her bag, to be honest she did use to carry a few spares but didn't happen to have any today. I am quite angry that they've done this.

OP posts:
0None0 · 14/06/2021 23:54

Sorry. On my phone. That should say ‘how far is it to walk?’

Original poster
onanislandfaraway · 14/06/2021 23:58

0None0

I just thought as official school transport they would have spares in cases like these.

OP posts:
lechatnoir · 14/06/2021 23:59

This happened to my 11 year old a few weeks ago - he walked the 3 miles home he actually walked nearer 4 miles as he took the exact bus route rather than the more direct route he knows very well Grin . I felt bad for him but it didn't cross my mind to complain. It's very clear - no mask no entry on the bus Confused

Lovestonap · 14/06/2021 23:59

It sounds like your daughter handled it really well, which is great. My son would have freaked out being left behind.

0None0 · 14/06/2021 23:59

@onanislandfaraway

0None0

I just thought as official school transport they would have spares in cases like these.

Why would they? How could a bus driver hand them Out?

How far is it to walk home?

Original poster
onanislandfaraway · 15/06/2021 00:06

It is about 5 miles but Id never let her walk home from there on her own as it takes you through a very long road covered by trees and is very secluded for a few miles, no way in hell would I let her walk that alone at 13. Maybe I am being dramatic but I admit I was pretty taken back and just thought if this was a more vulnerable/less responsible child I'd be very concerned.

OP posts:
0None0 · 15/06/2021 00:09

5 miles? She would have been home by 4.30? What’s the issue?

mogsrus · 15/06/2021 00:09

if she had walked home,how far would it be? why should the bus carry spares,

DumplingsAndStew · 15/06/2021 00:10

So she does wear the same mask all day then?

WorraLiberty · 15/06/2021 00:13

I don't understand why the driver didn't just tell her to cover her face with some sort of cloth?

Transport for London (TFL) for example state that a face covering can just be a piece of cloth that covers the face and nose.

When my DS lost his, the driver just told him to pull his t.shirt up over his mouth and nose.

Original poster
onanislandfaraway · 15/06/2021 00:16

As stated in my first post she usually carries spares, she was doing sports outside all day today and only happened to have the one on her. I guess I'm just so useto there being spares on hospital and other places that I thought a school bus would carry some, I obviously got it very wrong. And 0NONE0 if you can't see an issue with a mother not wanting her 13 year old daughter to walk miles on a secluded road on her own then there isn't really much more I can say.

OP posts:
TheUnquestionedAnswer · 15/06/2021 00:16

Tbh I wish all bus companies would adopt this policy. Everyday there are adults without masks on the buses I use.

I think the school bus should have been carrying spares.

0None0 · 15/06/2021 00:16

5 miles is not ‘way to far to walk’. 3 miles each way is considered standard legally. Every school will have dozens of children that walk 3 miles each way each day, so walking 5 miles in one direction would be less distance walked in a day than government guidelines.

And we certainly have children walking further than 3 miles.

katy1213 · 15/06/2021 00:17

For heaven's sake, she's 13. Old enough to make sure she has a spare mask, and old enough to get herself home.

0None0 · 15/06/2021 00:19

@TheUnquestionedAnswer

Tbh I wish all bus companies would adopt this policy. Everyday there are adults without masks on the buses I use.

I think the school bus should have been carrying spares.

Who would pay for the spares? How would they be handed out? How could the bus driver possibly supervise this? The bus driver did the right thing. If the bus route is only 5 miles long, the driver would be well aware that everyone on the bus was within walking distance of home anyway
Sugarplumfairy65 · 15/06/2021 00:20

Rather than blame the bus driver, blame yourself and your daughter. At 13, she's old enough to know she needs to carry spares. As her parent, you should make sure she has spares

Original poster
onanislandfaraway · 15/06/2021 00:23

OK I think some of you are missing the point so i'm off to bed after long ass day at work

OP posts:
Boomisshiss · 15/06/2021 00:24

She shouldn’t just have one mask on her. Can’t blame the bus driver for wanting to be safe . But the school should provide extra masks for these occasions . Even if the parents have to pay for them at a later date l

0None0 · 15/06/2021 00:24

‘Secluded road’ is a new complaint. You just said ‘way to far to walk’ which it clearly isn’t. And as you haven’t explained what is meant by ‘secluded road’ it’s impossible to say, isn’t it, but if the accuracy of your previous assertion ‘way to far to walk’ is anything to go by, I doubt the ‘seclusion’ is anything to worry about

Honestly, all this outrage over a 5 mile distance. Talk about wrapped in cotton wool

namechangealerttt · 15/06/2021 00:25

YANB entirely unreasonable, however...your daughter did a great job handling it, she has asked you not contact the school, I would respect that, you are now going to make sure she has plenty of spares in her bag.
I really think the school probably has bigger fish to fry at the moment, pick you battles, and out of respect for your daughters request, don't choose this one.

0None0 · 15/06/2021 00:25

@onanislandfaraway

OK I think some of you are missing the point so i'm off to bed after long ass day at work
What point? You don’t have one. Your daughter own behaviour left her unable to travel home on the bus, only a 5 mile walk from home, non issue
Carbara · 15/06/2021 00:29

What 0None said.
Your kid will be better prepared next time. Natural consequences. She’s not entitled to hold everyone else up just because you and her failed to organise yourselves. There is no ‘point’ that will get people to fume at the employee, so enjoy your bed after ass day.

Original poster
onanislandfaraway · 15/06/2021 00:30

0None0 she's not wrapped in cotton wool, I'm just worried that this is their protocol, more for other more vulnerable children as this muc=st be fairly common. "Too far to walk" was just easier than saying, "she has to walk from one town through a very secluded road with nothing but forest for 3 miles or more" into a village with narrow lanes then about another mile and a half through the streets".

The "outrage" isn't anything about walking 5 miles.

OP posts:
Boomisshiss · 15/06/2021 00:33

@onanislandfaraway

0None0 she's not wrapped in cotton wool, I'm just worried that this is their protocol, more for other more vulnerable children as this muc=st be fairly common. "Too far to walk" was just easier than saying, "she has to walk from one town through a very secluded road with nothing but forest for 3 miles or more" into a village with narrow lanes then about another mile and a half through the streets".

The "outrage" isn't anything about walking 5 miles.

Let the other parents worry about their own children it clearly isn’t about them anyway it’s because you thought she should be given special treatment and be allowed on the bus without a mask.
lljkk · 15/06/2021 00:35

Nothing bad happened. She resourcefully rang her nan and sorted the situation herself. Actually most kids would figure out a solution. I couldn't die on this hill.