Dear editor,

OK, it’s time again for this bus driver to let her voice be heard.

Within the past month we have had kids killed getting on or off the big yellow cheese wagon or big yellow school bus across the nation.

We have flashing lights that let you know when we are fixing to stop; we wave for our kids to cross when it’s safe; and you can pretty much set your clock with our times, since every single driver is pretty close to the exact same time every morning and every evening.

If you don’t want to stop for us, find another route or leave five to 10 minutes early – whatever you need to do. But please, for the love of God, when you see our yellow caution lights come on, please get ready to stop. When the red lights come on, STOP.

We try to train our kids to watch for us to motion them to cross, but some haven’t learned it yet. Some say “I’m sorry” but will do it again the next day. They’re in a hurry because they are cold or it’s raining, but we tell them every day to watch us and look before they step out in front of traffic.

In the afternoon, me myself, I will not open the door until I see all traffic is stopped.

We don’t want to see someone’s baby run over and killed, so please, please, please stop for the bus. Our kids, your kids, your grandkids and the neighbor’s kids’ lives are at stake.

I’ve written several of these letters in the past. One was, what is your child’s life worth? Mine, to me, every dollar in the world could not buy their life.

I wrote another after that one but can’t remember what I titled it.

But please think about what you will have to give up if you run over someone’s child – what they will have to give up. Think about that bus driver that won’t be able to do anything but watch it happen. It would hurt me so bad to see that happening.

I pray every day that we can go to school and never hear of another child being hit and injured or killed by an idiot behind the wheel of a car – on their phone, in a hurry or whatever the case may be. I wish y’all could go to a bus recertification class and just see what we see.

I pray we don’t have to watch another video of someone’s baby getting hit. I beg you, from the bottom of my heart and every bus driver’s heart, just stop. Is being three minutes late worth a parent giving up their child or children?

A family in Indiana this month had to give up their daughter and twin boys; they lost all they had.

Thank you so much and please stop.

Lynn Burcham

Franklin County Bus driver from Phil Campbell