School Bus Fight Pinellas County July 8 th , 2013

1. School Bus FightPinellas County July 8th, 2013 Rick McBride Director, Transportation

2. Two students charged after Belleville school bus attack Belleville, IL -- "We've had a talk about how the incident was handled and how we can improve the way we communicate,“ School Superintendent Dr. Greg Moats said. http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Two-students-charged-after-Belleville-school-bus-attack.html.

3. Bullies punch boy on school bus as others record on video “The situation was handled appropriately and in a timely fashion by both the bus driver and the school administrator,” said Marty Macurak, a spokesperson for the Paradise Valley Unified School District in Arizona.Read more: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/local_news/investigations/bullies-punch-boy-on-school-bus-as-others-record-on-video#ixzz2tbjyu0aQ

4. School Bus Beating Surveillance Video Released 7 Students Facing Misdemeanor Charges, Expulsion OCALA, Fla. —"Their job as a bus driver is to drive that bus in a safe and efficient manner. If there's something going on that bus, then that bus driver has to wait until it's safe to pull over," said Marion County Public Schools spokesman Kevin Christian. Read more: http://www.wesh.com/School-Bus-Beating-Surveillance-Video-Released/13120766#ixzz2tbkUgRgl

5. School bus fight captured on video, recorder suspended Pasco, FL-Gary Sawyer, superintendent of transportation for Pasco schools, said he talked to the bus driver about it that afternoon.“The driver said he was making a right turn when the beating happened and it was over before he would do anything. The driver said he hollered at the students, who were already separated, so he continued on the route.” http://www.floridatoday.com/VideoNetwork/2149159060001/School-bus-fight-captured-on-video-recorder-suspended

6. Brutal school bus fight caught on video, Florida bus driver criticized for inaction Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Pinellas, Fla. Three 15-year-olds attacked a 13-year-old on his bus last month. Cell phone and surveillance video captured the July 9 beating, during which Moody calls for help but doesn't step in to stop the fight. http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/08/05/Brutal-school-bus-fight-caught-on-video-Florida-bus-driver-criticized-for-inaction/2831375743617/#ixzz2tgzG3lJf KATE STANTON, UPI.com

7. Gulfport police say no one intervened in a student beating on the school bus Gulfport, Florida - Three Pinellas students are charged with aggravated battery for beating another student on the school bus and police say no one on the bus helped stop the fight. From <http://www.wtsp.com/rss/article/324878/82/Police-say-no-one-intervened-in-school-bus-beating>

8. Florida Bus Driver, Won't Face Charges After Brutal Attack Caught On Tape A Gulfport, Fla., bus driver who called for help after a 13-year-old boy was viciously attacked, but did not physically intervene in the fight, won't face charges. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-moody-fla-school-bus-driver-wont-be-charged-for-failing-to-intervene-in-fight-that-left-student-injured-report-says/ Child Neglect Charges Dropped Against Florida Bus Driver A Florida school bus driver too scared to physically intervene in a fight will not be charged with child neglect. By Katie Rucke @katierucke

9. Did The Driver Take The Appropriate Action? • “We do not allow our school bus drivers to touch students, per district policy,” said Blaine Krage, spokesman for Durham School Services, one of Duval’s main school bus providers. • “You are not useful, if you are down. Your responsibility is to the whole bus of students,” said Joe Purvis, transportation director for the St. Johns County School District. • Nassau County school bus drivers, however, are expected to try to stop fight, said Sharyl Wood, executive director of administrative services for the school system. “We expect the bus drivers to do everything they could to stop a fight short of getting between the kids and injuring themselves … We don’t expect them to put themselves in danger,” said Wood, noting drivers are allowed to pull fighting students apart if they don’t obey verbal orders to stop. • Clay County bus drivers are trained in the “appropriate use of force” depending on the circumstances. They are told to use their best judgment, but not to endanger themselves or other students on the bus, said Gavin Rollins, school system spokesman. “The drivers have discretion whether to step in or not step in,” Rollins said. • “When the fight started on the bus, he did stop the bus and call dispatch,” explains Melanie Marquez Parra, spokesperson with the Pinellas School District. District officials say drivers should take reasonable measures necessary to separate students to preserve safety and prevent injury. • Marsha Oliver, Duval schools spokeswoman, the district’s procedures generally instruct bus drivers to stop and focus on the safety of the bus and students, and to immediately request law enforcement or emergency personnel.

10. Pinellas District Schools Bus Drivers Handbook– Section 9.02 (d) Drivers will, if at all possible, stop the bus if the behavior problem is a serious one. Change the students’ seats when possible to de-escalate the situation. Immediately contact the dispatch office for their assigned area via two-way radio and provide them with details of the situation. If there is a physical confrontation between two or more students, the driver may take all measures necessary to separate the students involved in the confrontation to preserve safety and prevent injury.

11. Lessons Learned?