Bullying on the School Bus A Safety Issue for Bus Drivers

Why Do School Bus Drivers Need to Know About Bullying Bullying can and does happen on the bus Bullying problems have the potential to interfere with duties and responsibilities of the driver When bullying situations are undetected or ignored they have serious consequences for everyone involved

Why Does Bullying Happen on School Buses School buses can be a easy place for bullies to hide and carry out their behaviors Buses are often crowed places with lots of students moving quickly, so shoving, kicking, and threatening can happen without much notice School buses produce a great arena for spectators Some bullies see the bus driver as someone who has no direct authority over them

What Is Teasing Acts of teasing are more often unintended Teasers tend to stop once they have been told that their actions are inappropriate, break the rules and/or come with consequences Teasers are motivated to change their behavior because they understand their actions are unfair, unkind or because they do not want problems for themselves

What Is Bullying Bullying behaviors are always intended When bullies are caught they deny their behavior, blame target, pretend to be sorry or will find other ways to bully Bullies find power and other rewards from hurting or humiliating others

When Can Bullying Be Against The Law Extortion: Illegal use of one's official position or powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage, theft Assault and Battery Weapon Possession Rape, Murder, Hate Crimes, Sexual Assault Violation of Civil Rights

What Are The Signs A Student Is Being Bullied Student may act scared, hesitant, unsure of riding the bus May protect themselves by boarding the bus first or last Student may sit closes to the driver Student may have ripped clothing Torn school books Bruises, scrapes, or cuts

Why bullying is not reported Targets of bullying may not seek help because they fear being hurt in more serious ways Fear of retaliation Even when victims come forward, parents and educators are often at a loss as to how they may intervene and support the victim. no one can help me, so why come forward

What Can Bus Drivers Do About Bullying? R: Review school, bus driver policies regarding bullying E: Express your behavior expectations to the student who ride your bus S: Share any behaviors, concerns, or problems with your supervisor P: Put concerns in writing, document problems and your actions O: Observe student activities and behaviors that occur on and around your bus N: Never assume the bullying problem will just go away D: Dont be one more bully on the bus Supervise kids by modeling respect and Civility !