Initial reports of a botched burglary at a hotel in Washington didn't get much attention, but in the end, a couple of intrepid reporters and an anonymous source they called Deep Throat brought about the resignation of an American president and changed the face of politics forever. The scandal was called Watergate, and Woodward and Bernstein protected the source of their Washington Post reports for more than 30 years.

Here in Cobb County, Calendar-gate has revealed a new and disturbing glimpse of the true character of our school board members. The bully tactics at last Thursday's public meeting seemed designed to shift focus away from their unpopular early start vote and provide cover for a calendar poll and subsequent investigation that were shaky at best, intentionally pre-determined at the least.

How much more information will come out about this? I'll make an educated guess and say a lot.

But back to the question of anonymous sources.

In journalism, if many people corroborate a source, it's valid, even if the source prefers to stay under cover like Deep Throat. And if the corroboration comes from different departments and locations and the people don't know each other, it's even better. That's the reality. It's a starting point from which to do more investigating, i.e. what Woodward and Bernstein did.

So the school board has its hands full with the pending New Year censure of fellow board member Bartlett, which must feel very satisfying to them.

Meanwhile, what other important business is not getting done?

If they cared to look, I'd point them in the direction of their transportation department, where goings-on in the last year or two make the trumped up investigation over the calendar seem trivial by comparison.

Starting about a year ago, word began leaking out about the state of the department and its fleet, from a wide range of people concerned about bus safety and the morale of those connected with it.

I was surprised to discover there is no whistleblower program in effect for employees, especially as safety is touted as a priority and budgetary concerns make it tempting to cut corners. Reminiscent of other district controversy, drivers, mechanics and support staff, even employees from other departments, are reluctant to give their names.

Before, during and after my BusRadio columns, I heard from people in the know, those responsible for the safe transport of our children every day - but not always about music. I've got dozens of pages of notes on what I'll call the real "loser cruisers" - alleged unsafe, unclean, aged and broken school buses that barely start, won't back up, don't have working speedometers, heaters or defrosters. Ever passed a driver wiping condensation from the windshield, just so she can see out? Ever had that happen while you're driving? With as many as 80 kids depending on you?

I heard also about rushed and reduced safety inspections, possible illegal quick fixes, teamster-like management tactics and intimidation. The associated morale problems are massive, with sources telling me hundreds of drivers are ready to lay down their keys and walk away.

"If we weren't praying people," I was told, "we wouldn't have the strength to continue."

Sweeping policy changes since the well-loved former director, Carol Pitts, retired, compounded by an inordinate number of terminations in the last two years - more than 50 by some counts - add insult to injury this hardship year. I'm told this many people weren't fired in the entire decade before Pitts' retirement, and now the district faces a driver shortage and some are being asked to make double, possibly triple, runs without notifying parents.

There was the bus stop fiasco in August, with seemingly no repercussions.

And district-wide pay cuts add to the mix. Drivers, among the least paid and responsible for getting our kids safely to school - in whatever buses their mechanics can keep running - received a triple whammy: their salary was cut by 2 percent, their step raise was lost and their hours were reduced. There are maneuverings on pensions and health care, I'm told.

Meanwhile, boss Rick Grisham got a hefty bonus for his austerity measures. We haven't confirmed the amount, but have a feeling your socks will blow off when we do.

And with the tragic death last week of little Karla Campos - killed by an elderly driver coming over a rise toward her stopped bus, the urgency of a transportation safety revue seems most crucial. All eyes should be on preventing another tragedy.

I'll be writing more on this in 2010. The details really need to be told. I'm hoping to get answers from someone accountable, but won't hold my breath.

According to Dr. Abraham, the board has serious business to attend to when they reconvene in January.

Lbarmstrong3378@comcast.net