10.1. Discipline

General agreement among authorities on school law is that employees are likely to be considered negligent under the following conditions should an accident to a pupil occur:

• Lengthy absence of employee while pupils are on the bus.
• Employee leaving the pupils with an unqualified person being left in charge.
• Permitting pupils to operate the bus.
• Failure to keep written reports of every accident occurring under the employee’s supervision, regardless of the kind of injury.
• Failure of the employee to keep in mind the fact that pupils are children, and their actions may be guided by childish impulses.
• An employee is not responsible for injuries if it is proven that the employee gave the pupil the proper instructions and directions. The accident may be due to the contributory negligence of the pupil or may be considered as an unavoidable accident.
  Inappropriate pupil behavior can often be avoided by establishing and consistently enforcing proper rules for pupil conduct. It is also helpful to remember that children often have difficulty maintaining consistent calm demeanor. Some allowances are necessary to cope with rare unusual outbursts of excitement from pupils. It is the consistent inappropriate behavior that should be referred to the Principals for follow-up. Malicious damage to the school bus must be reported to the transportation office using the “Student Conduct Report” which will be forwarded to the building Principal.
  

Suspension and Expulsion
The Principal, alone, has the right to suspend a pupil. The Board of Education is given power to expel pupils from school. Employees will refer pupils to the principal for discipline. No employee is to consider disciplining pupils beyond a verbal reminder of the standards expected of all pupils.

Student Bus Conduct (The driver needs to make these points and enforce them.)

• Observe classroom behavior. The bus is an extension of the school. Discipline will be treated as such.
• Cooperate with the driver
• Be courteous to others. Use “indoor voice”. No profanity.
• No food or drink on the bus.
• Keep the bus clean. Pick up after yourself.
• Do not damage the bus.
• Students are to remain seated while the bus is in motion.
• All body parts are to remain in the windows at all times.
• Do not fiddle with the emergency devices.
• No fighting, shoving, or horseplay.
• Report any problems to the driver or school administrator.
  

Bus Stop Conduct

• Student should be ready at the bus stop at least ten minutes before the scheduled pick up time.
• Students should be waiting at the stop—not in a car, house, or elsewhere.
• Students should respect the property of the home owners near the bus stop.
• Students should never chase a moving bus.
• Students should remain at least five feet back from the road until the bus comes to a complete stop.
• If no students are present at the stop the drivers cannot wait.
• Students must use the stop assigned to them by the transportation office.
• If students are to cross the road, they are not to cross before the bus stops and activated the red lights.
• Never go under or near the bus to retrieve anything you may have dropped without the driver’s permission.