Amy Clayton, like several other Aiken County parents, said she is concerned about her child's safety on the school bus.

"On every bus, we need a bus driver and a bus monitor," Ms. Clayton said. "We need an adult that's sitting on the bus to watch these children because they're acting out."

After reports of pupil misbehavior, parents are expressing concern over school-bus safety, but administrators have responded that funds aren't available to increase the number of cameras and adult monitors on the buses.

Jack Hunter, a member of the school board, and David Caver, the assistant superintendent for Area 1 schools, said the district depends on drivers to submit discipline forms to their supervisors when they spot pupil misbehavior.

Each of the county's 200 buses have a visible camera box that conceals whether it contains one of 15 cameras that are rotated among the buses, said Maria McClure, the district transportation manager.

Ms. McClure said 40 bus monitors in the district assist special-needs pupils.

"Right now we just don't have the funds to purchase new cameras (or) to provide monitors on all of our buses," she said.

Ms. McClure said the district transportation department does not have bus radios or a sheriff's radio. Every driver is issued a cell phone, she said.

Sgt. Don Henry, a school resource officer for the Aiken County Sheriff's Office at Midland Valley High School, said resource officers assist schools with their investigations in the case of serious offenses on a bus.

"If an argument or even cross words are passed between students, it's going to take time away from that driver, where we could have an accident," Sgt. Henry said. "If they get us involved - early notification - it (won't) escalate into something that would break the law."

District 2 school board member Larry Murphy said the punitive options available to administrators are a complete change compared to when he was a school bus driver 50 years ago.

"There was a different situation because if you got a problem, you went to the principal with it," Mr. Murphy said. "They'd take him off and tear that boy up in the office with the paddle. Mommies and daddies wouldn't say a word."

Reach Nathan Dickinson at (803) 648-1395, ext. 109, or nathan.dickinson@augustachronicle.com.