TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Leon County school district is taking steps to protect its students.
Tuesday night, the school board approved an amendment to its current bullying policy, extending it to all school buses and bus stops.
"Students are so impacted by bullying in everyday lives and if that doesn't extend to bus stops and other locations, how can we expect students to truly feel safe?" said Rickards High Senior Carina Richardson.
The policy already covers all district-related property and activities, but district officials say including bus rides and stops to the policy's wording adds clarity.
"We want to make certain if a problem does occur, we have done what we could to be in control or to have some idea of what's happened," said Georgia "Joy" Bowen, Leon County School Board Chair. "There's nothing like parents calling, questioning, talking about bullying. Bullying is not going to be tolerated."
The updated policy impacts the 12,000 or so students who get on and off at the district's approximately 3,000 bus stops each day.
"Our bus drivers can take referrals and bring them to the principals, or if there's a problem, we can have our resource officers go to various sites," said Bowen.
"With so many students riding the bus and so many bus stops being so crowded, it can definitely be a problem. So I think this policy is really going to impact a lot of students," said Richardson.
The new, expanded bullying policy goes into effect on Wednesday, September 27th.
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