is reporting that the four middle school students who tormented a bus monitor Karen Klein in Upstate New York have been suspended from school for one year.
The Greece Central School District announced the punishment this afternoon.
In a statement, Superintendent Barbara Deane-Williams said the students and their families waived their right to disciplinary hearings, which expedited the ruling.
Besides being suspended from school, the four Greece Athena Middle School students were banned from public bus transportation and ordered to do 50 hours of community service with senior citizens.
They will also be required to complete a bullying prevention program, Fox News reports.
“The Greece Central School District is legally required to provide all students ages 5 to 16 with an education, therefore, during the 2012-13 school year, the students who have been suspended will be transferred to the district Reengagement Center, located in a non-school facility,” Deane-Williams said in a statement. “This alternative education program keeps middle school students on track academically while providing a structured opportunity for students to take responsibility for their actions by completing community service hours and receiving formal instruction related to conduct and behavior that prepares them for a productive future.”
Following their suspension and community service, the students will be able to apply for readmission to their school if they’ve stayed out of trouble for 30 weeks.
Since Klein’s bullying incident, which was captured on video and posted to YouTube, the former bus monitor has received an outpouring of love and support from countless individuals across the globe.
In addition to a free trip to Disneyland and a free cruise, Karen Klein has received more than $650,000 in donations to help her retire .