Columbus County Schools updates discipline procedures for new school year

COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The Columbus County Board of Education voted to approve updated discipline procedures for the 2022-23 school year at its meeting this week.

Among the changes is a revision of the action taken against students that perform nonviolent misconduct on the school bus.

Under the new system, a first offense would result in a one-day bus suspension, as opposed to the three-day in-school suspension under the old system. Parents will still be notified if a student misbehaves on the bus.

Board Chair Ronnie Strickland says incidents that happen on the bus should be treated as if they happened in the classroom.

“The school buses are an extension of our classrooms, and disruption and creating issues on a school bus is the same as creating issues in the classroom,” said Strickland. “Obviously, with in-school suspension being a potential penalty for actions, you know, a student would still have classwork that was assigned, just like it would be if that were in class.”

To view the updated procedures, click here.

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