• General Rules of Conduct on School Buses

    The transportation services that are provided to your child are a privilege and are not mandated by the State. Students will be held accountable for their behavior; therefore it is very important for you to review the rules of conduct with your child.

    CCR Title 5, 14103: Authority of the Driver

    Section 14103 of the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, State Board of Education states that:

    (a) Pupils transported in a school bus shall be under the authority of, and responsible directly to, the driver of the bus, and the driver shall be held responsible for the orderly conduct of the pupils while they are on the bus or being escorted across the street, highway, or road. Continued disorderly conduct or persistent refusal to submit to the authority of the driver shall be sufficient reason for the pupil to be denied transportation. A bus driver shall not require any pupil to leave the bus en route between home and school or any other destinations.

    GENERAL RULES OF CONDUCT / SCHOOL BUS RULES

    1. Students must respect and obey the bus driver at all times.
    2. No abusive body contact (slapping, hitting, poking, shoving, pulling hair, etc.)
    3. No use of profane language, vulgar subject matter or obscene gestures.
    4. Students shall not put any part of body out of bus window, use unauthorized exits, or move out of seats while bus is in motion.  Seatbelts must be properly fastened if the bus is so equipped.
    5. Students shall not ride any bus after receiving a suspension of riding privileges.  *see STUDENT DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES.
    6. Students shall not create excessive noise.
    7. Students must follow proper bus stop procedures (lining up properly, no throwing objects of playing in streets, respect for private property at bus stops, etc.)
    8. No unauthorized opening, closing, or tampering of any kind with bus doors, controls, windows or emergency exits.
    9. Students shall not damage or deface the bus.
    10. No lighting of matches, cigarettes, smoking of any substance, or use of any tobacco product.
    11. No throwing any object in, out of, or at the bus.
    12. Students will not be allowed possession or consumption of food and/or beverage on the bus without prior approval of the driver.
    13. Students must have written authorization from a parent/guardian, verified by school office staff, to disembark from the bus at a location other than the student’s designated bus stop.  High school students may write their own note to the driver indicating the location of the bus stop at which they will disembark from.
    14. No guns, dangerous implements of any kind (knives, or other sharp objects), animals, breakable items, skateboards or scooters are allowed on the bus.
      • Any display of a violent act, bullying or possession of a gun or dangerous implement will result in the student’s permanent loss of riding privileges.

    USE OF VIDEO CAMERAS

    In the interest of student and driver safety, all LUSD school buses are equipped with video cameras.  These cameras are used to ensure the safety of the students as it relates to student management issues.  The cameras discourage negative conduct, reduce disciplinary problems and vandalism on the buses and may be used in student disciplinary proceedings.  Access is limited to the Transportation Manager, Transportation Specialist, bus driver, principal(s), and the Student Resource Officer and shall not be made viewable to the general public.

    Student Discipline Procedures

    1. The driver will ensure that student-passenger rules are clearly understood, and effectively enforced. Verbal explanation of the required conduct will be given on the bus by the driver at the beginning of each school year and reviewed as necessary.
    2. Drivers will communicate with disruptive students and attempt to modify their behavior. If the problem continues, a citation of unsatisfactory conduct will be sent home to the parents or guardians and to the school principal.
    3. Reports of misconduct shall be issued to students according to the following procedure: 

       

       

      1st Offense
      Parents are notified of the incident. Student is warned and a written notice is sent to his/her parents. This notice must be signed by the parent or guardian and returned to the bus driver within 5 days.
      2nd Offense
      Parents are notified of the incident. A written citation will be sent home and student’s riding privileges will be suspended for (3) three days. This notice must be signed by the parent or guardian and returned to the bus driver within 5 days.
      3rd Offense
      Parents are notified of the incident. A written citation will be sent home and the student’s riding privileges will be suspended for (2) two weeks. This notice must be signed by the parent or guardian and returned to the bus driver within 5 days.
      4th Offense
      Parents are notified of the incident. A written citation will be sent home and student’s riding privileges may be removed permanently. This notice must be signed by the parent or guardian and returned to the bus driver within 5 days.

      Any serious offense may result in the suspension of the student’s riding privileges regardless of number of offenses. Students shall not ride any bus, including field trip buses, after receiving a riding suspension.