Statement From BOE Member Regarding Thanksgiving Busing Fiasco

UPDATED: [The following is a statement from a BOE member in response to yesterday’s article on the Thanksgiving busing issue] “The fact that there is busing on Thanksgiving, seems to be considered an accomplished fact. However, this is not necessarily the case.

Last year, in June 2011, 2 non public school community activists came forward with a complaint. Mr. Blaustien and Mr. Fishman had been in contact with the NJ DOT and had gotten an opinion in writing that the NJ State Law requires the bus companies to provide busing every single day that the schools are open between September and July, including all holidays”.

“The Board had gotten the Private Schools to agree to allow the drivers to take off back in 2007. These parents claimed that arrangement was illegal. As such, they were accepted as heroes in the community and the private schools now demanded a retraction of the previous practice. They now wanted to go back to 2006 when the bus drivers worked on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Being that the only legal way to give the drivers off would be if the Schools allowed them to take off, now that the Private schools were denying that opportunity, the drivers would have to work.

“The Board asked if the drivers would be allowed off for Christmas and Thanksgiving afternoon to which the schools answered an emphatic no”.

“Under the current situation, there is nothing the BOE can do to help the drivers”. “All those who feel the plight of the drivers should contact the Igud Hamosdos”.

The following, is a statement from BOE member Carl Fink:

“I wish there was an easier way to say this, but there’s not. We basically have two districts in one, the public and private schools. The BOE and the administration must work together for the sake of all Lakewood’s children. Difficult choices have to be made in order to make this happen. Thanksgiving day is one of these issues”.

“When the bus companies bid for the routes, they knew the days the drivers would have to work. The drivers were also aware of the extra days”.

“In my opinion It’s not fair to blame the private schools or the BOE for this situation”.

“The one thing I will do until my term is up, is be fair to all the children’s needs”.

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60 COMMENTS

  1. So basically, the parents have to sleep in the beds they made. Meaning, this was something parents demanded back in 2007, that they have bussing on thanksgiving. Now they are complaining? well which one is it?

  2. “…2 non public school community activists came forward with a complaint. Mr. Blaustien and Mr. Fishman had been in contact with the NJ DOT…”

    Thank you Mr. Blaustien and Mr. Fishman for making Thanksgiving a “non-holiday” and inconveniencing MANY bus drivers and their families. Only 2 activists caused this busing on Thanksgiving. However, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who want the courtesy busing stopped for those students within the state determined walking distance and yet that busing goes on. Do I see something wrong here?

  3. So when the winter time comes and ther BOE says there is a 90 minute DELAY,that GOES FOR THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS TOO! I just want to THANK these 2 gentleman for RUINING MY HOLIDAY(S) WITH MY FAMILY. Oh, and when it’s YOUR holiday, I should expect to see you both AT WORK????????????

  4. As stated. its the law and you knew when taking a lakewood rout that this would happen. stop whining and be thankful that you have a job.

  5. how about if Mr. Blaustien and Mr.Fishman both get up on Thanksgiving and drive one of the buses. let them miss the holiday with their families, this is just not fair.

  6. As stated. its the law and you knew when taking a lakewood rout that this would happen. stop whining and be thankful that you have a job. .

  7. If they knew in advance and agreed to the job on that basis, then it is part of the job. True, it is not ideal, but think of all the restaurant employees that need to work and serve holiday meals, all the department stores that are requiring all employees to show up on Thanksgiving early evening to set up for the mad midnight Black Friday sales. The list goes on. Although I feel for the bus drivers, they will have a chance to spend the holiday evening with their families with a slightly later than ideal time.

    In return for the few Holidays that the private schools are open, there are several weeks of vacation thru the year that the public school drivers do not get. There are the entire holiday weeks of Passover and Sukkos including some additional days before/after. Every job has its perks along with its drawbacks. This pill should not be too difficult to swallow. It is far better in this economy to be gainfully employed, even if it means giving up some holiday family time.

    Along with a significant portion of the community, we all feel for the bus drivers, symphasize with their families and hope they will all have joyous upcoming Holidays! Remember, there is still a possibility of snow for the upcoming Holidays, so this discussion may be moot.

  8. I think you are the one whining saying that car pool is a fiasco?!
    Maybe sit back and think for a second,should grow up and make car pool work for 2 days a year pluss Sunday.

    Better yet maybe you should go to work on Yom Tov!!!

    Have a little appreciation for these bus drivers.

    You sound like the type that probally does not give your kids bus drivers a Holiday gift either……..

  9. this is absolutely ridiculous… I think most parents would be willing to shell out the few dollars to pay for private transportation on thanksgiving afternoon. this will avoid any carpool problems… and as dec 25 this year is on sunday we don’t need to be concerned with that day. this would be a fair compromise with providing only public bussing for the morning runs. Is there a way to still make a change in this at this time….

  10. My boss has always expected me to come in thanksgiving. it’s always been a busy day in our food business. If i try whining like some of these whiners I would get fired!!

    So here’s the deal.. since I can’t drive my kids to/from school because I have to WORK, howabout the busdrivers that can afford to have the day off all chip in for a collective fund so the rest of us WORKING-CLASS folks can find and pay someone else to do the job..

  11. WELL, I find that the Board of Education will be having an issue on there hands….1…because the operators in this town are not Jewish 2. The drivers ARE NOT going to work, and 3. It is not fair!

  12. Where is the TLS posek when we need him. please pasken with your name so we all lknow it is a legitimate psak . this is a possible chillul hashem and we need guidance ..

  13. 1st Point
    #5 and to the author….D.O.T. can only dictate when the buses are allowed on the roads. There is no way possible that the N.J.D.O.T. can mandate that the buses run that day or else. That ruling falls soley on the Lakewood Bd. of Ed. and no one else. A if they are pushing this farse off onto the D O Ts lap then it justifies there lack of character.
    2nd Point
    thanks Giving is an American Holiday born to everyone who calls this great country theirs. Its a shame that the private school system refuses to recognize this holiday. I am saddened by the way the B.O.E. is once again sticking it to us who serve the communities of Lakewood N.J.

  14. At the very least the BOE should pay these drivers double-time for these 2 holidays, and build that into the contract and bid documents. Not too late to revise accordingly.

    It may not solve the problem entirely, but it will reduce the resentment, and validate the sacrifice the drivers are making.

    I agree with Mr. Fink – this is a complex issue. Finger-pointing is pointless and counterproductive. We need better communication between the schools and the drivers. The BOE can facilitate the discussion and act in accordance with the consensus.

  15. Can someone explain to me why a few drivers are complaining about the limited morning & afternoon runs? Every supermarket in the country is open till the early evening.. Every Walmart in the country will open at 7AM on thanksgiving morning and will remain open straight through black friday.. every Kmart will close at 10PM, etc.. I understand some stores may choose to close a bit earlier, but pray tell.. Why should these drivers receive better privileges than the rest of the working class Americans??

  16. It is a little sickening that two bad apples are going to ruin our relationship with the bus drivers and everybody outside the community, I wish we can all come to an agreement on this instead it looks like we are gonna have an internal war as well as a strained relationship with the real world we live in (some folks in our dear town forget that) fighting usually turns out disastrous and flows over so this is a lose lose situation for everybody.
    Sincerely Lakewood-er PSP LTP and PLR

  17. To # 16

    As a longtime lakewooder too, I actually feel that it’s sickening of YOU to refer to these two well-meaning activists as bad apples and attempt to stoke further straining.

    After all, # 15 has a valid point – this year, just like every year, there will be millions of hard working Americans earning their wages on Thanksgiving day. In fact, my cousin drives a bus for Greyhound bus lines and they have a regular schedule.

    So, why give privileged treatment to these few bus drivers that feel if they whine loud enough they can get anything they want.

    Maybe they should work for Greyhound instead, and let’s see what happens then..

  18. It seems that some members of the “community” have no respect for other peoples beliefs or traditions. If this is in the bus drivers contract and they are being forces to work on two of their most important holidays then no one can blame them for working directly by the words of their contract. That could mean no waiting for late students to run down the block, no allowing students who dont normaly ride the bus to get on in the after noon if they wish to visit a friend or need to go to a relatives house at the last minute. Not allowing students who dont have their bus pass with them to ride the bus. 99% of the drivers treat our children as their own, most will go out of their way to drop our children off in front of the house on a rainy day or wait a few minutes if a young child has no parent at the bus stop because they are running late. Do we really want to tarnish the parent – bus driver relationship over two days. I have no problem driving my children on those 2 days. And what about our tax dollar, the bus drivers will be getting paid at a higher rate but most would rather be with their families anyway. If i was a bus driver and was being forced to say drive over Shabbat what could i do? If the drivers are forced to work I hope they all call in sick.

  19. It is not necessary to have classes on a National Holiday. The Yeshiva’s are not in the food or any other profit making business. Having classes is un-American and sends the wrong message to our children. You are telling them that they are not part of the USA. That they are different from all other children.

  20. I know that I posted a portion of this post yesterday but I feel it is worth repeating. I also feel that a lot of the people posting against giving the drivers off are still learning yeshiva (which I acknowledge is the best thing a frum yid can do) and have no idea the pressure a frum yid feels in the workplace when he needs to take off on yom tov.

    I wholeheartedly agree with the drivers. As a religious Jew in the workplace, I have numerous dates throughout the year that I am unable to work and my non-Jewish and non-religious colleagues never give me a problem, notwithstanding the fact that while I am out, they have to work harder because of my absence. If we want people to respect the fact that there are days we cannot work, we should respect the days they generally don’t work!

  21. Raboisai, please see the breaking news story on Yeshiva World News. Wake up! we are here as guests. Act accordingly. Vchol Hameivin Yovin.

  22. To all off you that say the bus drivers should work I say that all companies should make “everyone” work on Jewish holidays and not give certain people off. This doudle standard is what causes such bad feeling about people in your community.

  23. Most companies that require people to work holidays make concessions for those employees such as extra pay, shorter working hours,early closings or asking those whose do not need the day off to work in the place of those who want to be with their families.
    To those of you that say drivers should suck it up I say shame on you for berating people that want to be we their families on a holiday.

  24. To no 3. As I said yesterday this is part of the job that you took. All the BOE can do is enforce the law. Those 2 people have a right to try and get the services the children deserve. This is a situation that you knew about when taking the job. I feel for you but if you can’t do it you can try and find another job. I suspect you won’t try because you understand that in the grand scheme of things it isn’t that important. Happy holidays!!!

  25. di tzvei yungerleit kennen a sach mer vos tutzich dah in shtot vi alleh di kluger bloggers dah. (agav, beitah zenen yodea sefer un ehrliche yidden)

  26. #13-I would like to clarify this issue. You are right, TLS/the board member who gave this answer made a mistake, we were in contact with the DOE, not the DOT. Gus Kakovos, the Lakewood BOE bus administrator agreed as well. While although I do feel bad for the bus drivers, many have pointed out that this is not the only job where you have to work on holidays. While we don’t work on our holiday, we stipulate that with our boss before taking a job. If the boss doesn’t agree we look for work elsewhere. Last but not least, we were disgusted when told by the Lakewood BOE administration that we are not entitled to bussing on legal holidays and that we are only entitled to bussing up to 180 days a year. That is not true, and the DOE agreed. I do think that many will give up on bussing on thanksgiving and christmas, however that is their dicision, and I suggest that THEY should be asked- maybe they’ll agree.

  27. This is a highly unusual situation and should be treated as such.
    IIs it fair that the Lakewood bus drivers work while the bus drivers in the surrounding towns have the day off?
    Is it fair that the drivers that have the Lakewood public school routes have the day off and the drivers for the Lakewood private school routes must work?
    Lets stop trying to compare this with Walmart, Greyhound and millions of other employees and treat it as what it is. This Is a Lakewood private route bus driver problem an we should be discussing a solution that is fair for these drivers.

  28. All these places like greyhound walmart supermarkets working on a holiday all get holiday pay my bus company gives none of that as a matter of fact they also get sick days personal days and vacation days we get nothing

  29. Being that the public schools are closed and therefore less busses and drivers needed, why not just have the Jewish drivers work and everyone can be happy!

  30. First of all Thanskgiving is an AMERICAN Holiday not a RELIGIOUS Holiday, so please stop refering to it as their or our holiday. Its every American’s Holiday

  31. Please let me note that the bus drivers are NOT employed by the LBOE. the contracts are bid and whichever company bids the lowest will get the run. Perhaps the owners of the bus company are not informing the employees of the specific runs. What happens if a driver is employed and all of a sudden their route changes? Lakewood needs to bring bussing back in house. More cost effective and controlled!

  32. I think the drivers deserve the days off..it may inconvenience the parents for 2 days out of the year but its 2 DAYS..everyone deserves a break

  33. First off, when applying for the job we were told NO WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS. Second, we will NOT be getting paid time and a half. I’m not whining I’m DOWN RIGHT MAD, because we haven’t had to work this holiday, but for a few that are throwing a temper tantrum. Third, I am glad I have a job. What I can’t for the life of me understand is why it is ok for you to be able to celebrate you holidays with your families but we cannot, why the double standard of do as I say not as I do????

  34. To ANON and all of you that said this is part of the job you took you are wrong. It was agreed in 2007 that the drivers did not have to work on Thanksgiving. Most of the drivers have been there for less than five years. Therefore anyone hired in 2007,2008,2009.2010 and 2011 were told that they did not work on Thanksgiving.

  35. How about solving the problem by observing the Thanksgiving holiday,it is not a religous holiday.Christmas is another issue,but the public schools close for a lot of the Jewish holidays so why can’t there be a compermise ,maybe the public schools should be open on those holidays.

  36. Who has seen the reported document? Mr. Fink has misreported the source of the reported opinion. How do we know what the document actually says. I would think that the BOE President, (the spokesperson), or the BOE Attorney would make an announcement, not a BOE member.

    It would be better to examine proof before making decisions on issues such as this. If the opinion is as reported, an appeal is in order. National holidays are part of the Nation’s heritage for all Americans to enjoy.

  37. Its amazing how different the comments are on this article than on the prior one. I was so proud as a resident of Lakewood to hear the cry of outrage when this was first brought to our attention. Where did the compassion go? The brotherhood? The empathy for people who want to be with their families on one of their most important holidays of the year? So its acceptable for the entire town to pretty much shut down for Jewish holidays and have the other residents scramble to take care of things but its not okay for the bus drivers who take care of the township private students to ask for one of their most important holidays of the year off without being compared to cashiers at WalMart? I want the prior article back. At least then I could pretend the community was united on doing the right thing..

  38. As a bus driver in lkwd twp for the past 10 years, I can recall when we did have to work on these 2 days. But as someone already mentioned, drivers would be paid time and a half. Certain bus companies in lkwd refuse to pay their drivers this way though. Since 2006 we’ve been off on these days. My problem is that the BOE believes 2 weeks is enough notice to give us drivers that we’re required to work. I have relatives flying in from overseas to spend the holiday with. This could have been brought to our attention in the beginning of the school year.

  39. Thank you mr. Blaustien and mr. Fishman for not ruining the day for hundreds of lakewood residents who would otherwise have to drive themselves crazy with carpools. Now only a few drivers are being a little inconvenienced if anything. They al new when they took the job that these days were included in their work. What a bunch of opportunists!!

  40. To all of you that said this is part of the job you took you are wrong. It was agreed in 2007 that the drivers did not have to work on Thanksgiving. Most of the drivers have been there for less than five years. Therefore anyone hired in 2007,2008,2009.2010 and 2011 were told that they did not work on Thanksgiving.

  41. It seems that many people feel that the drivers knew about this when hired. # 40 states that they were given 2 weeks notice. If planning a holiday out of state they would not be able to adjust their schedule.
    Since 2006 they have had off.This is a sudden change and should be adjusted back to previous schedule. If all the bus drivers called out it would be hard for the parents and yes they probably would be fired. Let’s see if that many could be replaced!!!

  42. I for the lifre of me cannot understand the utter lack of seichel and sense of entitlement those that “insist” the bus drivers come in and work on their Holidays have.
    I wonder are these people who work on Chol Hamoed as well.
    A public apology to the bus Drivers for the couple of knuckleheads in our midst.

  43. to # 17 just because shoprite , kmart and walmart WHO BY THE WAY ARE RECOGNIZED ABUSER OF THEIR EMPLOYEES have their employees working on these holidays doesn’t make it right or justify why us bus drivers should be abused too.

    incidentally P C @ichards which is a family owned business never has kept thier store opened on thanksgiving day!!!!!! or Christmas day why?????

    their statement is that THEY WANT THEIR WORKERS TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND WILL NEVER KEEP THERE STORE OPEN OR PUT BUSINESS AHEAD OF THEIR WORKERS SPECIAL TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

    There are many business that could care otherwise , shame on them

    WHAT BETTER CHRISTMAS GIFT TO THE BUS DRIVER THEN GIVING THEM OFF THESE TWO DAYS TO BE WITH FAMILY AND LOVE ONES,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

  44. To ,, 55 ,,and so many more .So very well said .I am a Immigrant & celebrate Thanksgiving.I became a proud American & now I celebrate my new Holiday .<#

  45. I know that we are happy to have jobs. Yes I work when I am told.
    But this is america and its a holiday, all should enjoy…WE live in America, I think you all forget that. I do not care what your religion,
    this is the United States, love it or leave it. I will have my dinner at night because of people like you who don’t know when to close.
    Yes when there is snow on the ground and ice, no child should be in a bus. I would rather my children be safe at home then on a bus to school. there is plenty of nice days they can get to school safe. I never want to hear my child was hurt in a bus accident, because of black ice and snow….Wake up and be safe. Do not complain we should have the courtesy busing end and we will soon. We are no better then any other district. Jackson just ended it and we are right behind them.
    I do my job, thanks

  46. as most of us are single parents..we take a job driving school buses simply because it works with our own childrens schedules and we have weekends and holidays with our children.i was given no option when i was given my runs.i am a single mom of 5 and one of my children was diagnosed this year with a health issue.holidays with my children are important simply because im not sure how many more i may have with my sick child.so i dont think its fair that people judge us because doctors and food businesses work on holidays..they simply take those jobs knowing they work every holiday.but bus drivers DONT.

  47. If the bus drivers are made to work on Thanksgiving, I feel that all public employees should have to work all holidays when the township depts. are open.

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