On Wednesday, Nov. 28, At a bimonthly routine meeting, the JCPS board of education made a long and thought-out conclusion that they would not employ felons as bus drivers.

This decision was made days six days after six Woodmore elementary school children were killed and several others suffered severe head and spinal injuries in a fatal bus crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Four manual faculty members, three of them being parents of children in JCPS, gave their reaction to this decision.

“As a parent,” Principal Mayes said, “I think in this situation that you have to look at each case individually. I believe in forgiveness and that one incident doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person.”

Ms. Nicole Finley (English), parent of Manual juniors Sadie and Sydney Finley, shares a similar opinion. “It’s not an easy decision to make. Every person has the right to employment and to make a good living for themselves. But at the same token, parents have the right to a safe environment for their children,” Finley said.