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Salisbury School Uses Bullying Law, Boy Charged With Assault & Battery

SALISBURY (CBS) - An 11-year-old Salisbury boy has been summonsed on a charge of assault and battery after police say he was bullying children on a school bus.

Authorities say the boy hit a smaller student with a backpack and slapped him leaving a hand impression on the younger boy's face.

The boy reportedly has a history of bullying, and after this situation Salisbury police school resource officer Mike Alder was asked to assist in the investigation.

WBZ-TV's Alana Gomez reports.

The boy has been suspended of all bus privileges indefinitely.

"I'm happy the school took action, but felt really sad this child's only 11 years old," said Tamah French, the PTA president. "Kids need to know that here isn't room for this and that there are consequences."

French runs programs to teach parents about anti-bullying laws and how they protect students. Her second grader was bullied and she was happy about how the school handled it.

"I spoke with his teacher who dealt with the situation and had the child written up," said French. "It showed us that he'll be taken seriously and he will be safe at school."

The school and the resource officer say they reported the bullying according to the state's bullying law, which was enacted last year. Under the law schools must have plans on how they handle incidents of bullying, and all incidents must be reported to law enforcement.

"Looking at all the bullying that has been going on you've got to do something because the younger kids are seeing what the older kids are doing," said Joey Heather Capozze, a PTA member.

Her daughter says she has been bullied before and knowing a student could face such serious charges means teachers are taking them seriously.

"If I do speak up I think it would stop happening," said Capozze's daughter, Bailey.

WBZ-TV's Alana Gomez contributed to this report.

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