Physical Violence Guidelines
Students are being prohibited from acts of physical violence, bullying, physical assault or battery, verbal assault, and disrespectful conduct toward the driver or other persons on the school bus. Georgia law defines physical violence as
(1) intentionally making physical contact with another that is of an insulting or provoking nature.
(2) intentionally making physical contact which causes physical harm to another.
Georgia law also mandates that students found by a tribunal to have committed an act of physical violence against a teacher, bus driver, school official, or school employee involving intentional physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature shall be disciplined by expulsion, long-term suspension, or short-term suspension.
If intentional physical violence against one of the above employees causes physical harm (unless in self-defense), the student shall be expelled from the public school system for the remainder of the student’s eligibility to attend public school and referred to juvenile court. Students in kindergarten through grade eight who commit the above acts may, on the recommendation of the tribunal and at the discretion of the school system, be permitted to re-enroll in the regular public school program for grades nine through twelve.
