The student, who was suspended after the incident, is set to be arraigned Nov. 21.
The student verbally abused a bus driver on the way home from school, Thurston County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Wayne Graham said. The situation escalated and the driver turned around and returned to school, where he was met by Timberline Vice Principal Paul Dean, court papers state.
The verbal abuse continued, and a Lacey police officer arrested the student on school grounds, Graham said. The student was not booked into jail.
Graham said Thursday that the "abusing or insulting teachers" misdemeanor statute is seldom used; he estimated that he has seen it in Thurston County only five or six times in six years. The Legislature has criminalized certain behaviors on school grounds in response to aggressive and disruptive students, Graham said.
The Nov. 1 incident is a "special case," he said, adding that the student was charged because he has continually been verbally abusive toward teachers at Timberline, and administrators decided "enough is enough."
The goal of charging the juvenile with a misdemeanor is to "hold him accountable for behavior," Graham said. The maximum penalty the student could face is a $100 fine, Graham said.
Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5445
jpawloski@theolympian.com
theolympian.com/thisjustin
@JeremyPawloski
