BUS CONDUCT

The Scottsboro City Board of Education has the authority to provide, at public expense, adequate means of transportation for all children of school age.  The Board of Education is not obligated to transport anyone. Public school transportation should be considered a convenience and a privilege.

While the Scottsboro City Board of Education offers, as needed, a system of pupil transportation, it also requires parents of students to accept the responsibility of supervision until such time as the child boards the bus in the morning and after the child leaves the bus at the end of the school day.

Once a child boards the bus - and only at that time - does he/she become the responsibility of the School          District.  Such responsibility shall end when the child is discharged at the regular bus stop at the close of the school day.

Since the bus is an extension of the classroom, the Board shall require students to conduct themselves on the bus in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior.  In accordance with the law, the bus driver shall stand in the place of the parent or guardian when exercising authority and control over the pupils who ride his/her bus while they are in transit to and from school.  This means that the driver is responsible for the good conduct of all pupils while they are on the bus and shall have the authority to maintain disciplines to insure the safety of all passengers.

When a student does not conduct himself/herself properly on a bus, the bus driver shall bring such instances to the attention of the building principal or his/her designee.  The principal or his/her designee shall inform parents immediately of the misconduct and request their cooperation in controlling the student’s behavior.  The principal shall discipline guilty students as deemed appropriate.

A student who becomes a serious disciplinary problem on the school bus may have his/her transportation privileges suspended, or terminated.  In such cases, the parent of the student involved shall become responsible for transporting their child to and from school.

All rules and regulations governing student conduct on regular school transportation shall pertain to student conduct on buses during school sponsored extra-curricular trips.

On July 12, 1993, the School Board approved the following guidelines for bus conduct.  These guidelines are posted in the front of every bus owned by the Board.  Bus rules and regulations pertaining to student behavior on school buses are as follows:

1.   Students who are transported shall remain under the Student Code of Conduct while on the bus.

     Therefore, outside of ordinary conversation, classroom conduct is to be observed.

2.  While riding the bus, students shall be under the supervision of the driver and shall obey the driver at all times.

3.  Each student may be assigned a seat which he/she is expected to use at all times, unless permission to change is given by the driver.

4.   For their own safety, students should not distract the driver.  Horseplay is not allowed.

5.   Students should remain seated while the bus is moving and keep hands, arms, head, or bodies inside the bus at all times.

4.   Students shall not be allowed to bring sharp objects, glass containers, balloons, pets or other living animals on the bus.

5.   Cursing, swearing, loud talking, obscene gestures, or degrading comments about another person is  prohibited.

6.   Students shall not throw any objects out of bus windows.

7.  Book bags and band instruments will be kept out of the aisles and cannot occupy a seat that is needed by

     a student.

8.  Students will not be allowed to eat on the bus, except on extra curricular trips when teachers/chaperones

     are present.

9.  A student who is willfully disobedient, fights or destroys property while on a school bus may lose

     transportation privileges and may be removed from the bus for one to ten days or permanently.  Serious

     misbehavior may result in suspension or expulsion from school.

10. Students shall leave the bus in an orderly fashion and cross the highway only in front of the bus.

Student transportation is a privilege and a convenience and is conditioned upon good behavior and strict obedience to the rules of the Board of Education.  Any driver having difficulty with a student which he/she feels is beyond his/her capability to remedy or for which he/she feels assistance is needed, shall report the condition and situation to the principal.  The principal shall have full and complete authority over the student while being transported to and from school the same as when on campus.  After consultation with the student, and if practical with the parent, the principal may suspend the riding privileges of the student.

Misbehavior on the Bus/Consequences

Penalty is at the discretion of the Principal/Transportation Supervisor depending on circumstances (may include removal from bus for one (1) to ten (10) days or permanent removal from bus).  Serious misbehavior on the bus may also be cause for punishment up to and including suspension or expulsion from school.