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6606P - Student Conduct on Buses Procedure

Any misconduct by a student, which in the judgment of the bus driver or the director of transportation/designee is detrimental to the safe operations of the bus, shall be sufficient cause for the director of transportation/designee to suspend the transportation privileges.

A. Rules of conduct for students riding buses are the following:

  1. The driver is in full charge of the bus and passengers and shall be If an Paraprofessional is assigned to the bus by the District, they shall be responsible for student conduct under the direction of the driver. When transporting classes or teams, the teacher or coach shall be primarily responsible for the behavior of the students. Students shall cooperate and obey both the driver and the teacher, coach or other staff members.
  2. Students shall observe rules of classroom conduct while on buses and shall refrain from talking to the driver unless necessary.
  3. Noise shall be kept down to avoid distracting the driver. Students shall refrain from profanity, obscene gestures, or offensive acts. Throwing tossing or shooting anything within, from or at the bus is prohibited.
  4. Fighting, pushing, tripping, spitting, abusive language and violent behavior are prohibited on the bus and will not be Harassment of any kind is prohibited.
  5. Students shall not carry or have in their possession items that can cause injury to passengers on the bus. Such items include, but are not limited to sticks, breakable containers, aerosol containers, straps or pins protruding from clothing, large bulky items or musical instruments which cannot be held or placed between legs, Books and personal belongings shall be kept out of aisles.
  6. Student shall not have laser lights and other substances that may interfere with the safe transportation of students.
  7. Students shall not smoke; possess tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or other illegal substances or paraphernalia of any kind.
  8. Flammable or flaming devices, pepper spray, bombs of any kind, knives, firearms, weapons or facsimiles are prohibited.
  9. Students shall not eat, chew gum, or drink anything except water while on buses. Exceptions to this rule must be pre-authorized by the transportation department.
  10. Students shall not have animals on buses, except Seeing Eye dogs.
  11. Students shall stand away from the roadway curb when any bus is approaching or leaving a Students shall be at the bus stop five minutes before the scheduled bus time and wait in an orderly manner.
  12. Students going to and from the bus stops where there are no sidewalks shall walk on the left-hand side of the roadway facing oncoming traffic, when Students shall go directly to their homes after leaving the bus.
  13. Students shall not sit in the driver’s seat.
  14. Students shall go directly to their seat and sit facing forward once inside the bus and remain seated at all times unless the driver instructs otherwise.
  15. Students shall not open bus windows without the driver’s permission. Students shall not extend any part of their body out of the window at any time.
  16. Students who have assigned seats shall use only that seat unless permission to change is authorized by the driver.
  17. Students shall use lap belts on buses when available.
  18. Students shall get on/off the bus in an orderly manner and shall obey the instructions of the driver or school staff on duty. There shall be no pushing and shoving when boarding or leaving the Once off the bus, students shall adhere to rules for pedestrians.
  19. Students shall cross in front of the bus when the driver signals it is safe to do They shall never cross behind the bus.
  20. Student shall keep the bus clean by depositing all trash in the container at the front of the bus.
  21. Parents of students identified as causing damage to buses shall be charged with the cost of the incurred Students causing the damage may be suspended from transportation.
  22. Students misconduct shall constitute sufficient reason for suspending transportation privileges.
  23. Students shall follow emergency exit drill procedures as prescribed by the driver. They shall not tamper with emergency doors or equipment.
  24. Students shall ride on assigned bus and leave the bus only at assigned stop. Bus passes are required to board or depart at a different authorized stop.

B. Disciplinary Procedures

The Director of Transportation/designee, in conjunction with the building principal, is responsible for correcting those students whose unacceptable behavior results in a bus incident report or violates the rules above. The principal shall provide supervision during bus arrival and departure times at their school. The principal shall aid in enforcing that students comply with the specified regulations. Open lines of communication among school officials, bus drivers, and the transportation department must be maintained.

When waiting for a bus, or going to and from a bus stop, students are responsible for conducting themselves according to the social and legal mores that apply to adults in public. That is, they must not abuse or cause damage to private or public property; they must not use obscene language or gestures; and they must not engage in criminal activity. Failure to adhere to these mores may result in formal complaints by citizens to the proper law enforcement agency.

Students who accept District transportation are responsible for complying with the District's rules of conduct for students riding buses. Failure to adhere to these rules or unacceptable behavior toward the public, driver, fellow passengers, or the vehicle constitutes justification for initiating corrective action against a student. Use of video cameras on buses may be used to identify improper student action.

Unacceptable behavior on the part of a student riding a bus may result in a written report when, in the opinion of the driver or administration, there has been an infraction of the rules applicable to student conduct. The written report is the primary means by which a driver communicates a student's conduct to the school and transportation department. This report, in most cases, reflects an infraction of rules which is repeated by the student after they have received previous oral warnings from the driver. For drivers to effectively maintain control on their buses, it is expected that action be exercised by designated individuals when receiving such a report. Video cameras may be used on buses as a tool to assist drivers in the identification of students who chose not to follow bus rules.

When a student's conduct constitutes an infraction of the rules, the driver shall complete a report on the student describing the incident or damage that occurred. The driver shall provide the report to the director of transportation/designee. The director of transportation/designee upon receiving a copy of the report shall investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and take action according to the procedures set forth in the District's policies pertaining to corrective action and punishment (see Regulation 3300). When investigating the incident, the primary concern must be with respect to the safe transport of students.

Corrective action, if necessary, should be consistent throughout the District as follows:

  1. First Citation: Written warning or possible bus riding suspension, if serious offense.
  2. Second Citation: Three (3) school days bus riding suspension.
  3. Third Citation: Five (5) school days bus riding suspension.
  4. Fourth Citation: Ten (10) school days bus riding If the suspension occurs within the last ten (10) school days, the suspension may remain in effect for the start of the next school year.
  5. Fifth Citation: Long term bus riding suspension of bus riding privileges for the balance of the semester or school year.
  6. Serious Bus Rule Violation: May result in immediate suspension of bus riding privileges for a minimum of five (5) school days suspension, or for the balance of the semester or school year.
  7. Suspension may begin at the end of the school day during which the misconduct In other words, the student transported to school will be returned to their regular stop.
  8. If a student is suspended for misconduct on either a morning or afternoon bus, the suspension may apply to all buses. (A suspended bus student may ride a field trip bus with the principal's or director of transportation's permission and assigned seating on the field trip bus.)
  9. Prior to a long-term suspension, Special Education students will have a Multi-Disciplinary Team review the process.
  10. At any citation level, a principal, student, transportation designee and parent conference may occur.
  11. Parents/guardians will be advised of dates of suspension by mail or telephone.

Whenever a violation occurs, the driver may send a student conduct citation home with the student or by mail. The citation must be signed by parent or guardian upon receipt and returned to the bus driver the following school day. Signing the citation does not denote agreement by the parent or guardian, but only acknowledgment of notification.

If the citation warrants a suspension of bus riding privileges, as determined by the director of transportation or designee, the director of transportation or designee will notify the building principal. Parents of students who are the subject of disciplinary actions may view the directly relevant videotape(s) in connection with such disciplinary actions.

Drivers shall be advised to file assault and battery charges against students who physically assault them. Under no circumstances shall the driver retaliate in kind or physically assault the student as this conduct may subject them to legal action.

The student or parent of a student who has been suspended from receiving transportation privileges may appeal the suspension by submitting a written statement to the director of transportation. The director of transportation shall render a decision after evaluating the issues and facts involved.

Adopted:

12/11/1986

Last Revised:

2/15/2023

Related Regulation: