MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There have been reports of multiple fights on mid-south school buses this week.
Shelby County Schools explained only about three or four percent of SCS students act violently and are considered eligible for expulsion.
Still, SCS said violence prevention and intervention is a concern.
There are several programs in place to prevent violence including “Positive Behavior Intervention Supports.”
Schools have counselors, social workers, campus monitors and school resource officers.
There are other programs like “GRASSY” which works with gang members to reduce their involvement.
Manager of Student Support, Behavior and Student Leadership Randy McPherson said students involved in physical altercations undergo a hearing process and their parents are notified.
He said if students are suspended, expelled or incarcerated “they have to have a behavior plan in place when they return to school.”
That includes daily check-ins with adults at the schools and sometimes anger management.
John Hall is the SHAPE program specialist for SCS.
SHAPE stands for “School House Adjustment Program Enterprise” which is a school-based aversion program to keep children from the court system for minor offenses.
“We meet two days a week to meet with those kids for two hours after school. We have a site coordinator at each one of those schools, and we work to find out what the problem is and how we can solve the problem,” Hall said.
He said the program aims to hold young people accountable.
SHAPE can be a part of a student’s behavioral plan.
Hall said when the program began six years ago, about 988 students were referred to the program.
The 2013-2014 school evaluation shows there were 54 student transports from schools to juvenile court.
