Superintendent proposes stricter bus-discipline rules after spike in fights

At a Jan. 7 meeting of Baldwin County Public Schools, the superintendent (unnamed in the transcript) warned that fights on school buses are rising and proposed strengthening the district’s bus conduct rules, including a first reading of a revised policy at the next board meeting.

The superintendent told board members that the district recorded 87 incidents involving fighting on buses last year and 23 so far this school year and said the changes are intended to protect student safety. “You’re gonna fight on a bus, then you need to get kicked off that bus for the year,” the superintendent said, arguing that serious consequences are necessary to prevent injuries and distractions for drivers.

The draft policy the superintendent described would draw from the district’s student code of conduct (the speaker referenced material around page 59) and would be circulated for 30 days for public and staff review before the board considers a first reading. The superintendent said the proposal would list three or four offenses that carry “serious consequences,” with fighting explicitly identified as warranting year-long removal from bus service.

The superintendent framed the proposal as a safety measure: “It’s all about safety. That’s bottom line,” they said. Board members present offered brief agreement but no extended debate was recorded in the transcript. The superintendent acknowledged the hardship that removal from transportation can place on families but said the goal is to change behavior and protect drivers and students.

Next steps: the superintendent will distribute the draft policy for roughly 30 days and bring it back for a first reading at the next board meeting; the transcript records this as the procedural timeline but does not show a formal vote on a policy at this meeting.