Inspired in part by the nationwide teacher strikes in Republican-dominated states such as West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arizona, bus drivers for DeKalb County School District planned a "sick-out" to protest low wages and little employee benefits.
About 42 percent of bus drivers in the county participated, causing nearly 60-90 minute delays in students being picked up for school.
[1] The planned sick-out was in response to ongoing pay cuts and lowered benefits for school bus drivers.
[3] A day prior to the sick-out R. Stephen Green, the superintendent for DeKalb County School District met with over 300 bus drivers about concerns over pay and benefits.
[6][7] Green claimed the bus drivers in DeKalb County were among the highest paid in the Atlanta metropolitan area.