Jennifer Terry, Bledsoe County's director of schools.A Bledsoe County mother says the county school system is ignoring an ongoing bullying problem she first reported in early September.
Christy Smith Hobbs said her daughter and two others were bullied and assaulted Sept. 9 after an incident on the bus two days earlier.
Her daughter, another girl and a boy were "goofing off" on Sept. 7, throwing pieces of pencil eraser and paper wads at each other for a few minutes on the bus ride home. Other students on the bus started calling names, some vulgar and abusive, and making threats, Hobbs said.
She said the bus driver reviewed the surveillance tape and, the next day, chastised the students involved, including Hobbs' daughter and friends. Hobbs' daughter was handed an eight-day suspension from the bus for her actions, she said. It's unclear what punishment, if any, the other students were given.
On Sept. 9, the girls ended up on another bus because their regular driver had to drive for the football game that night, Hobbs said. She said her daughter and two others were harassed on the bus for an hour and 15 minutes - the other students threw things at them, yanked clumps of hair out, poked them in the head with pencils, and threatened to come to her daughter's home and beat her up.
Hobbs called the sheriff's office. An incident report supports her story.
"After meeting with parents, I met with bus transportation to view the bus video," Bledsoe County officer Carlos Davis said in the initial report filed Sept. 12. "We found several kids harassing [Hobbs' daughter]."
Davis' report states that during later interviews at the school, four students admitted to throwing pencils and erasers, and one admitted to "pulling [Hobbs' daughter's] hair out, running her fingers threw (sic) her hair" and throwing things.
One teen admitted to "punching the back of her seat and kicking under her seat," and witnesses said another teen "instigated the entire incident," the report states.
Three girls and a boy were placed on house arrest, meaning when they are not at school they must stay in their parents' presence, documents state.
Juvenile Court Judge Howard Upchurch ordered the four, and their friends, to have no contact with Hobbs' daughter, according to records.
But a Sept. 27 report by county officer Jamie Wyatt said one of the teens violated the no-contact order. The girl's mother admitted she allowed her child to leave with another girl despite the house arrest. The girls told Wyatt they parked in a car near the Hobbs home.
Another report filed by county officer Regina Farrell details what she saw at the school on Nov. 3 while investigating allegations one of the teens was violating the no-contact order. Farrell spoke with the teen about the definition of a no-contact order, including offering five examples of no-contact situations, but the teen reportedly had contact with Hobbs' daughter again the following day.
Hobbs said the bullying carried over into school. She contends the family is getting no help from school officials and the only punishment for the accused bullies so far was suspension from the bus for an unspecified period of time.
Jennifer Terry, Bledsoe County's director of schools, said Wednesday she was disappointed Hobbs felt her daughter was still in danger after meetings between school officials and the family as recently as Tuesday.
"We've addressed the issue and made some changes to the bus schedule," Terry said. "The students [accused of bullying] haven't been back on the bus."
Terry said school officials didn't think the bus incidents fell under "zero tolerance" guidelines, which include assault or battery on students, but she couldn't discuss details or the other students' discipline because of privacy regulations.
Steps have been taken, she said, including making sure Hobbs' daughter has an adult contact at the school to whom she can report any concerns.
"I know it's frustrating for parents because we can't tell them the whole story. I get that," Terry said. She said any actions by Juvenile Court are "totally separate" from administrative or disciplinary steps by the school system.
"It's an issue we take very seriously. We want every kid to come to school to enjoy their education and feel safe," she said.
Terry said Thursday the school probe into the incidents is closed.
The Juvenile Court cases are still pending.
Meanwhile, Hobbs said she hopes whatever is done keeps her daughter safe for the rest of the school year because not knowing is nerve-wracking.
"She's sacrificing her emotional well-being so she can go to school right now," Hobbs said. Her daughter returned to classes Tuesday afternoon.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.