Disciplinary Action Taken Following School Bus Incident

Proper disciplinary action has been taken following an altercation on a school bus, which sent a 13-year-old student to the hospital yesterday afternoon, Assistant Superintendent Vanessa Clark said.

The 13-year-old seventh grade student was riding the bus when he with a 12-year-old student, Lieutenant James Veltri said.

After a verbal dispute between the two males, both students at , the 12-year-old kicked the 13-year-old in the face, Clark said. The 13-year-old had been knocked unconscious, John von Briesen of Lacey EMS said.

Lacey EMS arrived at the scene at Sarasota Drive and Pensacola Road at approximately 2:45 p.m., von Briesen said. Police confirmed that the student was injured at approximately 2:28 p.m. The police were dispatched to a report of a juvenile passed out while on the bus.

Monoc Paramedics then transported the injured student to Community Medical Center in Toms River, police said. He was reported to be “fine,” Clark said.

No charges have been pressed, Veltri said.

Toby Gilhool’s son was on the bus at the time of the incident. She was concerned because her son typically arrives home around 2:25 p.m. and it was after 3 p.m.

Gilhool, a resident of Pensacola Road, drove up to the scene, she said. Police vehicles blocked off the bus and the kids were not allowed to get off. The 12-year-old was sitting in a police car.

“Nobody really knew he was unconscious. Some time went by before anyone noticed. A kid kicked him in the head and nobody was paying attention," Gilhool said. "How can you drive that far and not realize he was unconscious? To me, someone should have seen. And I don’t know why the bus driver didn’t stop the fighting,” Gilhool said.

Several members of school district administration were at the scene when the bus driver told them this was not the first incident, she said. The students were told they would be interviewed as witnesses.

When Gilhool saw the injured boy, she said he was hooked up to oxygen and had something around his neck.

“The kid was in bad shape. He didn’t know who he was, his address, or what had happened,” Gilhool said.

Although Clark could not specifically say what action was taken, the parents of the two students were notified and spoken to and the students were disciplined, she said.

“Further review needs to be done to determine whether the incident was a case of harassment, intimidation or bullying,” Clark said. She could not say whether the will come into play.

This incident occurred during the state-wide Week of Respect, a program designed to meet state mandates as part of the .

Principal James Handschuch did not immediately return calls for comment.