An endangered bird?

[akarunway 1]

Issaquah bus driver appeals firing for "flipping off" President Bush
By Manuel Valdes

Seattle Times Eastside bureau

An Issaquah school bus driver fired for allegedly "flipping off" President Bush during a visit to Seattle in June is appealing her termination.

According to Issaquah School District officials, the incident happened when a district school bus stopped for the president's motorcade while returning from a field trip in Seattle.

As the president waved to the school children from his limousine, the bus driver made an obscene gesture, said Sara Niegowski, a spokeswoman for the district.

Bush was in Seattle attending a fundraiser for Congressman Dave Reichert, who was riding in the same limousine.

Reichert campaign officials confirm that Bush told Reichert about the gesture and that the congressman later called Issaquah's superintendent to let her know about the incident.

But the district had been informed by other staff the same day it happened, Niegowski said. It investigated and found evidence pointing to "unprofessional conduct" from the driver, she said.

The 43-year-old driver, with the district since 1999, was fired in September. "This incident has to do with the responsibility of an employee who is supervising students to act professionally and serve as a role model for appropriate behavior," said Issaquah Superintendent Janet Barry. "This was part of a pattern of behavior with this particular bus driver, not an isolated incident."

The fired bus driver filed a union grievance last month for wrongful termination. She has declined to be identified or interviewed.

Chris Dugovich, a spokesman for the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, said it wants the district to re-evaluate its decision.

"There's only one individual who saw this and it happens to be the president of the United States," Dugovich said. "We're interested in saving her employment."




Barry said she personally knows Reichert from his days serving as King County Sheriff when they discussed school resource officers. Reichert called as a courtesy, Barry said.

"He never discussed his view or suggested what action he thought would be appropriate to take," Barry said. "He reported the incident believing — rightly — that I would want to know this occurred, that as a steward of children and public resources, one of my employees had acted inappropriately in her job capacity."

Barry reiterated that the decision to terminate the employee was not motivated by any political reason.

"If the bus driver had made the gesture to a driver who cut her off on a local road, we would have taken the same action," Barry said.


Times reporter Jonathan Martin contributed to this report.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[NCclimber 0]

Running with the title, but not the OP, WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE THOSE OBNOXIOUS CANADA GEESE OFF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST?????

They have it better than cows in India.

[rushmc 23]

This was part of a pattern of behavior with this particular bus driver, not an isolated incident."

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Trying to make this into something it is not??

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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[rehmwa 2]

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This was part of a pattern of behavior with this particular bus driver, not an isolated incident."

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Trying to make this into something it is not??

Flipping of the pres? Once? no problem, he can take it and deserve a good flip off.

Being the type of person that flips off people, can't control those urges and is in front of children as part of their job? They should do something else for a living.

People that flip others off while driving really need to grow up and get lives. There is no possible positive result from that action in any scenario. Only negative.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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[rushmc 23]

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This was part of a pattern of behavior with this particular bus driver, not an isolated incident."

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Trying to make this into something it is not??

Flipping of the pres? Once? no problem, he can take it and deserve a good flip off.

Being the type of person that flips off people, can't control those urges and is in front of children as part of their job? They should do something else for a living.

People that flip others off while driving really need to grow up and get lives. There is no possible positive result from that action in any scenario. Only negative.

Then we are in agreement.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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[ExAFO 0]

It might be an employment at will issue. Either is free to dismiss either at any time.

You have your right to freedom of speech, but you have no right to a job.

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[akarunway 1]

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This was part of a pattern of behavior with this particular bus driver, not an isolated incident."

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Trying to make this into something it is not??

I postd it in humour to start w/. Then I started thinking (dangerous). The part that got me was "There's only one individual who saw this and it happens to be the president of the United States," Dugovich said. " Bush wouldn't LIE would he?

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

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[Amazon 7]

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Reichert campaign officials confirm that Bush told Reichert about the gesture and that the congressman later called Issaquah's superintendent to let her know about the incident.

I love this part.....

I guess Bushie would NEVER possibly lie that something like this happened.

Where is the proof... ( as the right LOVES to bring up)...otherwise is hearsay.

[jcd11235 0]

What goes around comes around.

Link 1
Link 2

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[Amazon 7]

Jesus.. more hypocrisy.. DO AS I SAY and NOT AS I DO... and god help evildoers who DO AS I DO>

[jcd11235 0]

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Jesus.. more hypocrisy.. DO AS I SAY and NOT AS I DO... and god help evildoers who DO AS I DO>

Do you know what hypocrisy means? Perhaps you can explain it to us within the context of my previous post.

Hint: If it showed any hypocrisy it was poor, poor George getting his feelings hurt and complaining when he was flipped off.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[Amazon 7]

GWB is a fucking hypocrite...

He can flip people off with no repercussions but if he claims soneone flips him off..... he gets his local lap dog ( WHO I GET TO VOTE AGAINST) to get the woman fired...

[akarunway 1]

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Jesus.. more hypocrisy.. DO AS I SAY and NOT AS I DO... and god help evildoers who DO AS I DO>

Do you know what hypocrisy means? Perhaps you can explain it to us within the context of my previous post.

Hint: If it showed any hypocrisy it was poor, poor George getting his feelings hurt and complaining when he was flipped off.

see the hypocrisy thread

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[NCclimber 0]

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GWB is a fucking hypocrite...

He can flip people off with no repercussions but if he claims soneone flips him off..... he gets his local lap dog ( WHO I GET TO VOTE AGAINST) to get the woman fired...

When has President Bush flipped anyone off? I've seen the pics, but has anyone shown these gesturesl targeted anyone? If so, who?

[Amazon 7]

You did look at the video clips did you not....

[Andy9o8 2]

On the one hand, it does look like a retaliatory action for exercising one's First Amendment right to insult the President to his face.

On the other hand, she was driving a busload of middle school kids on board, and that's what makes it a disciplinary matter.

Re: employment at will - that applies in the absence of an employment contract. A union contract creates a sort of a grey area between an "employee at will" and an "employee with a contract."

Even with a contract, every employment contract allows (either expressly or by implication) an employer to fire an employee for willful misconduct. In this case, the misconduct would not be flippin' off the Prez per se, but making an obscene gesture in front of young children who are under the driver's care within the scope of her employment.

I'm a parent of kids who ride the school bus. If this driver is inclined to do flip people the finger while she's driving kids, how do I know she won't engage in an act of road rage while she's driving my kid?

Close call, but on balance, I think the driver loses her case.

[Amazon 7]

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On the one hand, it does look like a retaliatory action for exercising one's First Amendment right to insult the President to his face.

Hell I would like to show him and Rove et al... the old... bared full right arm and fist... in the proverbial UP YOURS move...but alas.. I never seem to be near where administration officials are.

[downwardspiral 0]

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This was part of a pattern of behavior with this particular bus driver, not an isolated incident."

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Trying to make this into something it is not??

Flipping of the pres? Once? no problem, he can take it and deserve a good flip off.

Being the type of person that flips off people, can't control those urges and is in front of children as part of their job? They should do something else for a living.

People that flip others off while driving really need to grow up and get lives. There is no possible positive result from that action in any scenario. Only negative.

I disagree. When I was teen, riding as a passenger in my mother's car, every now and then she would break out the bird and exclaim,"stupid ass!" in broken english. Everytime it would make me laugh hysterically which would cause her to start laughing. Ah good times.

www.FourWheelerHB.com

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[jcd11235 0]

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On the one hand, it does look like a retaliatory action for exercising one's First Amendment right to insult the President to his face.

On the other hand, she was driving a busload of middle school kids on board, and that's what makes it a disciplinary matter.

Re: employment at will - that applies in the absence of an employment contract. A union contract creates a sort of a grey area between an "employee at will" and an "employee with a contract."

Even with a contract, every employment contract allows (either expressly or by implication) an employer to fire an employee for willful misconduct. In this case, the misconduct would not be flippin' off the Prez per se, but making an obscene gesture in front of young children who are under the driver's care within the scope of her employment.

I'm a parent of kids who ride the school bus. If this driver is inclined to do flip people the finger while she's driving kids, how do I know she won't engage in an act of road rage while she's driving my kid?

Close call, but on balance, I think the driver loses her case.

If W was the only one to see it then it would be difficult to support the assertion that it was setting a poor example for the kids.

As for road rage, I've been known to use profane words or gestures to other drivers when they do things that I consider to be dumb, rude or just plain boneheaded. I get it off my chest immediately, and go back to being calm and mellow. I don't think that we can assume just because a driver uses the finger (remember, this was not traffic related), road rage is more likely.

Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials!

[akarunway 1]

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On the one hand, it does look like a retaliatory action for exercising one's First Amendment right to insult the President to his face.

On the other hand, she was driving a busload of middle school kids on board, and that's what makes it a disciplinary matter.

Re: employment at will - that applies in the absence of an employment contract. A union contract creates a sort of a grey area between an "employee at will" and an "employee with a contract."

Even with a contract, every employment contract allows (either expressly or by implication) an employer to fire an employee for willful misconduct. In this case, the misconduct would not be flippin' off the Prez per se, but making an obscene gesture in front of young children who are under the driver's care within the scope of her employment.

I'm a parent of kids who ride the school bus. If this driver is inclined to do flip people the finger while she's driving kids, how do I know she won't engage in an act of road rage while she's driving my kid?

Close call, but on balance, I think the driver loses her case.

I'll presume she was stopped bcause of El Presidentes' motorcade and not driving

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Amazon 7]

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I'll presume she was stopped bcause of El Presidentes' motorcade and not driving

Yup stopped by Der Fuerers motorcade.

[lummy 4]

I read this story yesterday. The article I read mentioned that the superintendent had found out about the incident because the guy was bragging about it and it got back to the boss. He was already fired by the time the senator(?) reported him.Also, he was officially fired for flipping the bird in front of kids, not for who he flipped off

I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1

[NCclimber 0]

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You did look at the video clips did you not....

I asked who he flipped off. Your reply gives me the feeling you can't answer the question.

[DaVinci 0]

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I read this story yesterday. The article I read mentioned that the superintendent had found out about the incident because the guy was bragging about it and it got back to the boss. He was already fired by the time the senator(?) reported him.Also, he was officially fired for flipping the bird in front of kids, not for who he flipped off

I am going to be really glad when the Dems are in power and things are still screwed up. It will be great to watch the left be on the defensive for a while.

[Andy9o8 2]

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If W was the only one to see it then it would be difficult to support the assertion that it was setting a poor example for the kids.

The point isn't whether any kids actually saw it, the point is it was in the presence of the kids and some of the kids easily could have seen it - and as long as that was the case, the driver should have controlled her (God-knows justifiable) urge.

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As for road rage, I've been known to use profane words or gestures to other drivers when they do things that I consider to be dumb, rude or just plain boneheaded. I get it off my chest immediately, and go back to being calm and mellow. I don't think that we can assume just because a driver uses the finger (remember, this was not traffic related), road rage is more likely.

But you weren't driving a school bus, responsible for the lives of dozens of other people's children.

In my younger, dumber, caffeinated days, I used to give the finger to other drivers, too. More than once it induced the other driver to engage in road rage directed at me - chasing me at high speed, trying to run me off the road, screeching to a stop and blocking the road, etc. You know what? I don't do that anymore. (I stopped around the time my first kid was born - not a coincidence).

What if a school bus driver, carrying a loadful of kids, gestures at another driver, and the other guy has a gun (a right bestowed by God) and shoots into the bus? I wouldn't trust the judgment of a driver who can't control herself while entrusted with the lives of dozens of children.