GREECE, NY -- The four students who were caught on video bullying a bus monitor in the Greece Central School District now know their punishment.
On Friday, the superintendent of the Rochester-area district released the results of their investigation.
The four Athena Middle School students and their families agreed to a one-year suspension from school and regular bus transportation.
The students must also complete 50 hours of community service with senior citizens and complete a formal program in bullying prevention, respect, and responsibility.
The video of the students bullying Karen Klein went viral after a student posted it to YouTube. Since then, more than $650,000 has been raised online to help send Klein on a vacation. District officials and the police also held a news conference in the days following the incident to address concerns.
Because the Greece Central School District is legally required to provide all students ages 5 to 16 with an education, the four students will be transferred to the district's Re-engagement Center for the 2012-2013 school year. This is located in a non-school facility.
The program is designed to keep middle school students on track with academics while creating an environment for students to take responsibility for their actions.
According to district policy, if students have completed their punishment within 30 weeks into the school year and are in good standing at the Re-engagement Center, they can apply for early readmission to Athena Middle School.
The district was able to announce the specific discipline each student was facing since each student admitted to bullying the bus monitor and later apologized, according to Superintendent Barbara Deane-Williams. You can read the full statement issued by the district by clicking here.
The district reports the parents and students cooperated fully with the schools investigation and waived a right to a hearing.
The Greece Central School District staff will continue to take part in bullying prevention training this summer, according to Deane-Williams.
Anyone who wants to anonymously report bullying within the district can call the Safe School Helpline at 1-800-418-6423, extension 359.
