The St. Mary Parish School Board recognizes the operator of a school bus to be in authority with regard to pupil behavior in or about the vehicle which he/she operates.  School District regulations regarding proper conduct on school buses shall be provided in writing to students and parents/legal guardians at the start of school each year.  The operator shall report disorderly or unmanageable pupil conduct to the principal of the school in which the pupil is enrolled. Such conduct by a pupil shall be good cause for the principal to suspend the privilege of riding any school bus; however, operators may not administer disciplinary action and shall continue, except in extreme emergencies, to transport a pupil until disciplinary action is administered by the school.  It shall be the responsibility of the parents of pupils, in such cases, to provide transportation to and from school during the period of bus suspension.

A pupil who causes damage to a school bus shall be subject to suspension from school and shall not be readmitted until acceptable provisions for restitution have been made for such damage or until readmittance is directed by the Superintendent.

PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING BUS CONDUCT

1.  All schools shall be provided with the School Bus Behavior Report Form, which shall be completed on any occasion when a pupil's conduct on a bus is unsatisfactory.
2. One copy of the School Bus Behavior Report Form shall be signed by the parent and returned to the school principal.  In all such cases a pupil shall be permitted to continue to ride the bus until transportation privileges have been denied by action taken by the appropriate school administrator.
3. In cases of severe misconduct, the principal or designee may temporarily suspend the pupil's bus privilege until appropriate disciplinary action is taken.  The pupil's parents should be immediately notified of the temporary suspension.
4. Immediately after taking disciplinary action, the principal, or designee, shall sign and shall indicate the disciplinary action taken on the School Bus Behavior Report Form.  Copies of the report shall be distributed to the pupil's file; to the parent; and to the operator.  A copy of the report may also be sent to the Superintendent or designee.
5. The event of an appeal of the principal's decision by parents, a hearing may be scheduled by the Superintendent or designee.

Updated 07/14/2021
Kenneth Holmes