Consequences for fighting on the bus?

[momz]

DD was not involved but witnessed the assault. Neighbor's boy, a 7th grader was in a verbal argument with another boy on the bus. 2 high school girls tried to intervene to de-escalate the argument. Neighbor's boy hit first girl in the face (closd fist punch), then hit the 2nd girl in the face and in the stomach. The first girl ran off the bus screeming, "call the police!"

The principles, vice principles for 2 schools (the 2 that share the bus) and a guidance counselor came to the bus, removed the boy and the bus left to take the remaining students home.

This happened on Friday. This morning, neighbor's boy is at the bus stop and in school. I saw him running the streets over the weekend and couldn't believe his mother let him have any freedom (I shouldn't really be surprised based on passed experiences). But...parenting aside, what about the school, or law enforcement? Why is this kid at school today. At minimum I would think he would be off the bus.

In your experience, how does the school handle physical assault?

We are waiting for this kid to finally be dealt with, it can't come too soon in my opinion.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Any fight on a bus should result in the same penalty as a fight in a school building, whatever that penalty is. You'd have to check your district's student handbook.

 

[PlaneJoy1]

Automatic 10 days OSS. Possible alternative school if this were a second or more offense. We are a very cut and dry school system. Of course, if the kid has an IEP (especially with a behavior intervention plan) that would trump the normal course of action depending on the circumstance. These would be handled on a case-by-case basis.

 

[lynxstch]

Wow...unbelievable that this kid was allowed on the bus and in school today. I would have expected the girls parents to have filed police reports against him!

My grandson , who is only 9, was being bullied last year on the bus. He finally had enough and fought back..and both kids were immediately suspended for a week. This 7'th grader should get much more than a week!

 

[wiigirl]

Any fight on a bus should result in the same penalty as a fight in a school building, whatever that penalty is. You'd have to check your district's student handbook.

Thats what I was thinking too.

 

[momz]

From all appearances, he got nothing. He has an IEP, but I don't understand how that excuses him from all consequences. He has ADD and ODD apparently. So, does that give him a free pass to terrorize everyone else? Why don't all the other kids have a right to feel safe in school and on the bus? Why does this child's diagnoses give him the right to behave this way and the only consequence is to everyone else?

 

[barkley]

our school-depends on situation/student history (1st violation of school or bus code). if first time offender, at minimum it would be an out of school suspension AND then the bus division can implement their disciplinary action.

bus ridership is a privilege not a right, and they could choose to ban the kid for a period of time or permanently. where we live the school has the right because it's location/access roads to have the rule that kids can only arrive on campus via private auto or school bus-our does, no bike riders or walkers permitted. so if you kid get's kicked off the bus you better plan on driving them out to the middle of nowhere (seriously, nothing but wheat fields in every direction for miles and miles) "no more than 10 prior to the beginning of the students first assigned class", then be there to pick them up "no later than 10 minutes following the student's last scheduled class, authorized sport or activity".

 

[barkley]

From all appearances, he got nothing. He has an IEP, but I don't understand how that excuses him from all consequences. He has ADD and ODD apparently. So, does that give him a free pass to terrorize everyone else? Why don't all the other kids have a right to feel safe in school and on the bus? Why does this child's diagnoses give him the right to behave this way and the only consequence is to everyone else?

his iep wouldn't exempt him from disciplinary action for a physical assault-it might have an alternate disciplinary process or consequence though. diagnosis should never give someone the right to be assaultive to another student.


we delt with a situation like this several years ago. a kid dd and ds went to school with had horrendous anger issues that parent kept excusing/ignoring, and school kept sweeping under the carpet. one day I was in the classroom and witnessed the kid blow up and come close to caving in the head of another student (totally unprovoked). situation came to an end and teacher did nothing. no referall to principal, just continued class as though nothing happened.

I went to the principal later in the and asked if she was aware of the incident, she said she was. I asked if the student was going to be suspended, she said 'no', and gave a song and dance about how the kid needed to be sympathized with, had a tough go of it with an overwhelmed single parent....I advised her that my children would not be at school the next day, nor would they return until the school could guarantee their safety. I called the president of the school board that night and advised as well, and said if we were referred for unexcused absences I would happily explain to the overseeing authority why my children were not in attendance.

school board held a meeting, principal/teacher and parent were called in, and the kid was suspended for a week, during which time a plan was developed on how the other student's safety would be ensured.


op-if you are concerned for your child's safety contact the school/school board, just as the iep child has rights, so does every other child.

 

[FireDancer]

In the building, parking lot, or bus fights pretty much got a few detentions or an in school suspension if they got anything at all. They werent really made into big deals. I remember one of my friends getting into a fight and the principal asking him and the other kid if they are done or need to be punished. They just shook hands and went about their day. I cant know for sure of course but I never remember the police getting involved at all.

 

[okeydokey]

If my kid was riding the bus with a kid that assaults other kids on that bus, I would be looking into the official policy to find out what should have happened. Then I would be calling, emailing, visiting folks to be sure that the official policy was followed.

If the official policy is that the kid gets no consequences and gets to continue to ride the bus, I would have to decide if I could accept that or if I wanted to make other arrangements for my own kids' transportation.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

One thing you have to be aware of is that due to privacy concerns, they probably aren't going to discuss this child's situation with you. since your daughter was not involved.

 

[robinb]

DD was not involved but witnessed the assault. Neighbor's boy, a 7th grader was in a verbal argument with another boy on the bus. 2 high school girls tried to intervene to de-escalate the argument. Neighbor's boy hit first girl in the face (closd fist punch), then hit the 2nd girl in the face and in the stomach. The first girl ran off the bus screeming, "call the police!"

The principles, vice principles for 2 schools (the 2 that share the bus) and a guidance counselor came to the bus, removed the boy and the bus left to take the remaining students home.

This happened on Friday. This morning, neighbor's boy is at the bus stop and in school. I saw him running the streets over the weekend and couldn't believe his mother let him have any freedom (I shouldn't really be surprised based on passed experiences). But...parenting aside, what about the school, or law enforcement? Why is this kid at school today. At minimum I would think he would be off the bus.

In your experience, how does the school handle physical assault?

We are waiting for this kid to finally be dealt with, it can't come too soon in my opinion.

Are you worried for your DD's safety or are you just curious about the punishment the neighbor boy has received?

 

[momz]

It is a difficult situation all around. This is a neighbor whom we have known since the kids were small. Kids played together until this boys behavior was too far gone. Now, we don't allow any interaction with him. He has threatened other kids in the neighborhood, has had cops called, but nothing done other than calling his counselor who comes over and they all have a chat..? Unfortunately, keeping my daughter off the bus is difficult because of work schedules. But, she is not there alone, her BFF gets on at the same stop. Also, simply pulling her off the bus will not eliminate my concerns because this boy is just across the street. But, I was hopeful that when his behavior escalated at school, the school would do something. So now it looks like the mother does nothing, the cops call the counselor, who chats with him, and the school does nothing, or perhaps another chat... But no real consequences. I don't know why there is such an illusion of rules and expectations if nothing is done when the rules are broken. I am so frustrated with it all!

 

[momz]

Are you worried for your DD's safety or are you just curious about the punishment the neighbor boy has received?

Definitely worried about the safety of my kids! We have issues with this boy at home. My kids ignore him and avoid all interaction with him. But he is not stable, he is unpredictable. For example, he started a fire in his room several months ago. The mother came to me shaking and accusing us of being responsible. She claims he took the liter from our garage. To which I said that I did not recognize the lighter, but even if what she says is true, the responsibility is NOT ours, as he would have been trespassing and stealing, both of which are equally wrong. Now, we keep our garage door closed. But there is a feeling of being a "prisoner" in our own home in relation to needing to be on constant alert regarding the whereabouts of this kid...keeping him off our property.

 

[rgf207]

Let the school handle it. If this is a reoccurring problem and you fear for your child's safety by all means let the school know. If this was a one time fight, the school should deal with it according to policy. You will, most likely, not know the outcome due to privacy reasons.

The child may still be on the bus until the incident is investigated and a punishment has been established. It's his word against theirs and i'm sure the administration is investigating since none of them actually saw the incident.

 

[robinb]

Definitely worried about the safety of my kids! We have issues with this boy at home. My kids ignore him and avoid all interaction with him. But he is not stable, he is unpredictable. For example, he started a fire in his room several months ago. The mother came to me shaking and accusing us of being responsible. She claims he took the liter from our garage. To which I said that I did not recognize the lighter, but even if what she says is true, the responsibility is NOT ours, as he would have been trespassing and stealing, both of which are equally wrong. Now, we keep our garage door closed. But there is a feeling of being a "prisoner" in our own home in relation to needing to be on constant alert regarding the whereabouts of this kid...keeping him off our property.

I think it is within your rights to call the school and tell them that you fear for your kids' safety at the bus stop and on the bus. However, you are not entitled to know what punishment he has been given.

 

[I Love Pluto]

I am shocked that this child was on the bus! Assault is assault. What is this world coming to???? Where is the Principal???

My advice - stay out of it. Reason - possible future misplaced aggression on your kids. Hopefully - due to his IEP - he has a Superintendent's hearing SOON. (This could possibly be the reason for the punishment delay?)

Here's hoping that future bus rides are much calmer!

 

[Wishing on a star]

If I were a parent of either of the two girls, we would be pressing big-time charges.... Law enforcement would be involved. That girl was right to be yelling 'call the Police!!!!' The school district, of course, is going to whisk this troubled child away, and then do nothing. Cover their behinds.

These girls, and your child, and all of the other children should NOT have to fear for their safety while on the school bus.

He should have been banned from the bus for quite some time.

As for your position, with your child being fearful, and having personally witnessed what happened. I would already be going to the District Level on this. All you can do is report this violence, and make sure the school district is aware of your situation with this child.

Unfortunately, there is nothing more that you can do.

 

[Colleen27]

Unfortunately if the child has known and documented issues the wheels turn more slowly at the school level. We had an issue last year involving my son and two other boys - one boy was beating on the other, and my son stepped in to break it up because the boy getting beaten up is a friend. My son and his friend were both suspended immediately for one week under the school's zero-tolerance policy. The boy doing the beating, who left bruises on the smaller boy and bit my son hard enough to leave marks through a heavy hoodie, was back in school the next day.

BUT after a week of hemming and hawing and meeting with the boy's parents and counselor and police he was ultimately expelled and now attends an alternative school (for more than just the one incident - there were actually three separate issues in a two week span, one of which involved a knife but took place off school property so didn't trigger the automatic weapons-at-school consequence ) .

 

[dsneprincess]

I would be seriously thinking about moving.......


I definitely wouldn't leave my kids home alone......