1-year suspension for students who bullied N.Y. bus monitor
(CNN) - Four middle school students caught on camera verbally abusing their bus monitor have been suspended for a year and will be required to complete 50 hours of community service, school district officials said Friday.
Recorded by a student with a cell phone camera on what was the second-to-last day of school, the brazen bullying went viral and spurred international outrage.
The incident occurred in Greece, New York, near Rochester.
"Following individual meetings this week with school and district administrators, each family waived their right to a hearing and agreed to one-year suspensions from school and regular bus transportation," the Greece Central School District said in a statement.
The students will be transferred to the district Reengagement Center, it said. Each will also be required to complete 50 hours of community service with senior citizens and must take part in a formal bullying prevention program.
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This is NOT punishment! I recommend the "Scared Straight" program or boot camp. To those of you who say "they are just kids", I say their bullying was really over the top. We all bullied as kid. But I'm sure none us threatened to put a knife through someone. I couldn't even watch the whole video. I found it disturbing and disgusting. Nip this in the bud while they are young!!!
I know these kids are some really rotten souls right now, but the 7th grade is a time when children peak in terms of meanness. I know I said things to other people as a 7th grader that I would never say now. A one year suspension seems over the top. I like the 50 hours of community service, but holding them back one year seems too much.
My understanding is that the 4 middle school kids involved are being "sentenced" to an "alternative" school and banned from riding county school buses for a year. Plus the 50 hr community service duty.
Are you serious!!! Who's going to speak up for the boys. I laughed to tell you the truth!! I said a grown woman reallly?Just ruin their future because they where young and immature. She had the opportunity to turn it around. Even if she was crying, let's be real she wanted to cry about something else anyway, that was just the one thing that sent her over the edge. Sure of course, you want to send a message, making them miss out on their education is not the way. I agree punished them, but don't allow the media to pressure the school system into doing something, that will send these boys down the wrong road and get in trouble later, than the media will be reporting that too!! You all have been played, especially those who sent in the money. If you want a real cause just go to low income places where moms are trying to raise their children on pennies and put your money somewhere where it's really needed. She has not once said anything compassion toward them. If she has a heart than she should be forgiving. By the way if she really has a heart, than everything over 5000.00 she should donated. My point exactly!!!!
Valerie, it's almost as if America is bullying the bullies. That woman got rich from those four boys!
The press really over hyped this story, but seriously 'What does a school bus monitor, monitor ?'
This could turn these boys' lives around. They'll get individualized tutoring and an opportunity to do community service. I think they were already heading down the "wrong road," as you put it, but this might be the best thing that ever happened to them.
You are mistaken and under educated on the matter if you think that she has not been compassionate. She had the opportunity to press charges and chose not to. She pleaded with the school not to expel them. She has even said that they do not normally act like that and she isn't sure why they did – that they're sweet children. They are not missing out on their education – they are being sent to an alternative school. Those children will not learn a lesson if they are not taught one. People like you, people who blame the victims and call for sympathy for the aggressors, are what is wrong with our country.
To be honest, the lady they bullied was willing to let this slide. The internet and the media got a hold of it and made the big deal out of it. She even says she doesn't feel that they are bad kids, just that they can get mean when in a group.