School Buses, Bus Stops, and Sex Criminal Laws

Yesterday was the first day of school for the school year in Cobb County. The Marietta School System went back last week.

When I went to school, as I remember it, we started soon after Labor Day, never before. And my mother, who grew up in a rural community, remembered all kids generally got out of school during harvest time.

I have no kid in school, so, why am I thinking about this? My routine. I was thinking of leaving out on my bike and I thought of having to compromise with big orange school buses and the kids in clusters at bus stops waiting on them. I decided to postpone my ride until 8:30. By that time, hopefully, we won’t be in the way of each other.

Yesterday in Smyrna, Georgia, because of some kind of freak accident a school bus had a dangling possible live power line dangling from the pole onto the bus. An alert citizen saw this, and ran up to the bus before it opened its door and told the driver to keep the kids inside until the line was resolved. I think the news said there were two or three kids and the bus driver inside. It was very hot inside the bus but they could not leave. Finally Georgia Power came and fixed the situation, but it took some time. There was concerned that the people in the bus would become dehydrated, so ambulances and the police were there to do what had to be done. After Georgia Power hoisted the live line out of harms way the kids left the bus and there was no medical problems. They have the alert person who first saw the incident to thank.

Also, speaking of School Bus Stops, Georgia recently passed a law saying no sex offender and be within so many feet (I forgot how many- I think 1000) of a bus stop. Somebody did a quick study and found there is no such place in Georgia Cities and the suburbs – only possibly in remote rural areas.

So, they have passed a law that it will be impossible to enforce. The lawmakers, and the preppy looking legislator spokeswoman, said when they meant not within so many feet of a bus stop they didn’t mean it – it is so many feet within a designated bus stop. So, see? No problem, only a solution.

The last I heard the case is in front of a judge to decide if it is constitutional or not.

Some would say that the message here is if you don’t do sex crimes then you don’t have anything to worry about.

And that reminds me of a case in Rome a year or so ago, where a young man, I think 18, had sex with his underage girl friend. I think she was 18. Two years difference in their ages. He was accused of statutory rape. I know it was being appealed and I haven’t heard if he got out of it or not… come on, it was his girl friend. So, if he didn’t get out of it, he will have no place in most of Georgia to work and live – as the law is presently worded.