One Concord middle schooler is facing juvenile charges after hitting another student on a bus Friday afternoon, Concord police said. 

A verbal altercation escalated when one student punched another who had been “name-calling,” according to Deputy Police Chief John Thomas. That student was charged with disorderly conduct and assault and the other was taken into protective custody. Both are 13 years old.  

When the fight broke out, the driver pulled over the bus and called police, Superintendent Kathleen Murphy said. Students were evacuated from the vehicle, many of whom called and were picked up by their parents. The bus later completed its route with the remaining students. She noted that all district school buses are equipped with cameras. 

The incident does not reflect a rise in bad behavior on district school buses, according to Murphy.

“There are occasions where kids make a bad choice while on a school bus,” she said. “But I don’t see an increase in misconduct on our buses.”