STUDENT CONDUCT ON SCHOOL BUSES

(Regulation)   Policy

 
 
GENERAL:
 
The safety and welfare of students shall be a primary consideration in matters pertaining to pupil transportation. To this end, this regulation, the Student Conduct and Discipline Code (the"Code"), and the school bus conduct rules (the "Rules") shall apply during all phases of a student's transportation by the District, including, but not limited to, all times a student is in or on any school bus or other school District vehicle, at any school bus stop, waiting to board any school bus or other school District vehicle, and while getting on or off any school bus or other school District vehicle. In addition, this regulation, the Code and the Rules apply regardless of whether the student is being transported to or from school, to or from a field trip, or is being transported by a school District vehicle for any other reason. A copy of the Code will be provided to each student's household and the Director of Transportation will publish and distribute a copy of the Rules to students who are transported to and from school in a school bus or any other school District vehicle.
 
 
RESPONSIBILITIES
 
The school bus driver shall have the authority and responsibility to maintain order on school buses by requiring students to act in accordance with this regulation, the Code, and the Rules and by reporting a studen's unsafe behavior or other misconduct to the student's School Principal and/or designee and to the Director of Transportation, as appropriate, in a timely manner.
 
Unless otherwise provided by law, the School Principal shall have the authority to discipline, in accordance with the Code, any student who violates the Code or Rules pursuant to this regulation and shall, likewise, have the authority to suspend the riding privileges of any student whose behavior threatens to place or places the student and/or others in danger of injury. In addition, the Director of Transportation shall have the authority to suspend the riding privileges of any student whose behavior threatens to place or places the student and/or others in danger of injury. Where practicable, a student will be given an opportunity to explain his or her position with respect to the conduct in question before the studen's riding privileges are suspended. A student's parent shall be notified prior to suspending bus transportation for their student.
 
Parents are encouraged to review and discuss the Code and the Rules with their students in an effort to help them understand and assume responsibility for safe, appropriate, and acceptable school bus conduct.
 
Each student is responsible for exhibiting safe conduct and for acting in conformance with the Code and the Rules pursuant to this regulation. Failure to follow the Code or the Rules may result in the student being disciplined pursuant to the Code and/or in the suspension of the student's transportation services.
 
 
INFRACTIONS AND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS:
 
The Code provides students and their parents with a summary of the District's behavioral expectations for students while they are in or on school property as well as disciplinary actions the District may or must take in the event a student violates those expectations. In addition, to the extent a student's behavior is detrimental to the welfare of other students or school personnel, the Code also permits the District to impose disciplinary actions for a student's conduct off school property.
 
In addition to Level I disciplinary infractions identified in the Code (Refer to File: JK), behaviors in or on a school bus or other District vehicle (or during other phases of a students transportation) that constitute a Level I infraction pursuant to the Code include, but are not limited to:
 
Standing or moving while the bus is in motion
Blocking the exit and/or aisle
Extending arms, head or other objects out of the bus windows
Talking loudly
Pushing, or other unwelcome physical contact
Being discourteous to others
Using vulgar or profane language
Refusing to follow the driver's directions
Arriving late to a bus stop
Engaging in unsafe conduct or other misconduct at a bus stop
 
In addition to Level II disciplinary infractions identified in the Code (Refer to File: JK), behaviors in or on a school bus or other District vehicle (or during other phases of a student's transportation) that constitute a Level II infraction pursuant to the Code include, but are not limited to:
 
Flagrant and/or continued Level I violations (as noted above).
 
In addition to Level III disciplinary infractions identified in the Code (Refer to File: JK), behaviors in or on a school bus or other District vehicle (or during other phases of a student's transportation) that constitute a Level III infraction pursuant to the Code include, but are not limited to:
 
Flagrant and/or continued Level II violations (as noted above).
 
Adopted: October, 1996

 

Colorado Springs School District Eleven, Colorado Springs, Colorado
October, 1996
 
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