School bus drivers, aides need medical information on student passengers

Manatee County School System has a legal team, don't they? A critical issue for them, in my opinion, is an immediate policy change allowing school bus drivers and their aides to have full knowledge of medical and behavioral issues on students they transport.

To complete their jobs in a responsible and safe manner, they must know the needs of the students they transport. If nothing else can be done to protect these students because of privacy laws, couldn't parents be given a HIPPA form to sign allowing transporters and aides of their children to have full disclosure of their medical and behavioral needs (mental health needs)?

If parents or guardians don't return the signed permission and their child's medical and behavioral needs are not met while being transported by our school system, they then cannot hold the school system responsible.

Isn't there a legal "Need to Know" category? Surely, this is a legitimate example of that... there must be case law on this. It is astounding this is an unresolved child safety issue.

Terrie Hodges

Bradenton

This story was originally published October 5, 2015 at 6:30 PM with the headline "School bus drivers, aides need medical information on student passengers ."