Why would I have to sign a contract like this?

If you were booked for the offence it would reflect on the school – they want to have the public regard them as responsible and always setting good examples.

@DarkScribe That may be the case, but isn’t it redundant to ask people to oblige to the law?

Or do they want to be more easily able to fire you in case you brake the law so they keep their records clean in the sense that you wrote? And if so… would it help stating this in the contract and would it not be easier to make the contract state that the school expects you to be a good example by obliging the law

My feeling is, that schools have relatively high stakes in having drivers pay attention to the other traffic. After all there quite often are a lot of children around the school. This statement in the contract would from my perspective be a materialization of care for traffic safety around the schools. I like it.

You don’t, you have a choice the same as they do. Their choice is to demand a certain standard from employees. Yours is either to accept or look elsewhere. Where I work an arrest for any drug offense is cause for dismissal even if there is no conviction.

Would part of your job require you to sometimes drive the children to a field trip? Maybe the rule is meant in that kind of context. At my son’s preschool, the teachers and parents carpool for field trips. If a parent is driving someone else’s child, he or she has to provide a copy of the driver’s license and insurance information.

If/when you get the job, you could ask another teacher about it.

Where I work it is verboten to use the cell phone while driving, especially in company vehicles. We also sign an agreement to NOT surf the Internet on company time or computers, unless it is work related. A lot of people do it, but I have yet to do anything like that, since I did sign my name to the contract, and I am a man of my word.

Everything is a question of honor.

@DarkScribe It isn’t against the law to talk on your phone while driving in Ohio.

@MissAusten We have a bus so I will not be driving with kids in the car. I start Thursday so if I think of it, I’ll ask someone.

@whitenoise I could see why they wouldn’t want people talking and driving around the school and also think thats a good idea. But to say I can never, EVER do this?

May be a liability issue. If you on professional call while driving (let’s say about covering a someone’s shift) and get in an accident, a lawyer could argue that you were working and claim worker’s comp and more.

@MissAusten That’s what I’m thinking…they mean don’t use it while you’re on school time, especially if you’re transporting kids. I’d for sure get some specifics if it’s going to be an issue, although, I make a point to virtually NEVER talk on the phone when I’m driving! It’s a dumb thing to do.

@kruger_d That’s a good point.

@mramsey It isn’t against the law to talk on your phone while driving in Ohio.

If you run over someone while doing so it most certainly is.

@DarkScribe Yea, I guess you’re right. I just meant, you can’t get pulled over for just talking on your cell. Actually, I often see the local police talking on their phones while driving.

@mramsey _I just meant, you can’t get pulled over for just talking on your cell. _

I think that there might be something not apparent that kick-started this. maybe a staff member was involved in an accident associated with or near the school while talking on the phone. Still, it is good safety practice and can’t hurt.

@DarkScribe You are probably right. I’m curious to see what brought about this contract. I will ask around Thursday.