The Golden Rule of Safety First

             The golden rule of "Safety First" is repeated ad nauseaum to children at home and at school, and the safety is consistently revealed as the top priority of anyone involved in the lives of children. However, while many extreme security measures are being implemented in schools for the purpose of increasing safety for children, other very basic safety needs are being overlooked. It is now common for metal detectors, security video cameras, on-campus security guards, and extreme safety precautions to be implemented in most schools. Of course, the more traditional safety measures, such as having a school nurse on campus, first aid kits in every classroom, regulations banning harmful substances like asbestos and lead paint, and strict rules preventing risky student behavior are also standard in every school. Parents also take extreme precautions to protect their children outside of school in every possible way. Car safety is among the top concerns of many children"s health advocates, and many measures are taken by the government and children"s welfare services to ensure that proper use of car-seats and seat-belts are mandatory. In fact, parents can be charged with child endangerment or neglect if they fail to take the proper child-safety precautions when driving. With these considerations in mind, it is alarming that seat-belts are not mandatory on school buses. "The use of seat belts is a widely-accepted, effective safety measure in passenger cars, and many parents and safety advocates simply cannot understand how it is that if seat belts promise such benefits to car occupants, then these benefits are not offered to passengers on buses taking children to school." (Henderson & Paine) Parents, who would never leave the driveway with an unbuckled child, continue to load their children onto school buses; they put faith in those vehicles to safely transport their little ones, despite the fact that the buses do not have this safety feature.

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