NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk Public Schools employee is speaking out after an incident involving an angry parent.
In a video News 3 obtained with permission from a student, as well as the child’s parent, you can see a woman approaching the door of the bus as students were exiting. In the video, the woman is yelling at the driver. She proceeds to call the bus driver profane names and yells, “Call the cops,” as she stands in the street in front of the bus. Students could be seen watching the incident.
The driver of that bus, Cora Johnson, tells News 3 it happened on April 25, but she says there have been other incidents involving this parent and her son. Johnson said things heated up after she moved her son to the front of the bus due to his behavior.
“I moved his seat because due to his behavior on the back of the bus,” said Johnson. “And I’ve told the school about it, and they said if you need to sit up front, then that’s where he’s going to sit. So, he called his mom on FaceTime, and while I’m driving the bus, I could hear this vulgar language.”
Johnson showed a letter from her doctor’s office stating that she should be out on temporary medical leave.
“I’m not sleeping. I’m crying. I’m stressed," stated Johnson. “On the first time, something should have been done. It shouldn’t have taken five times.”
A spokesperson for Norfolk Public Schools wrote the following response:
Norfolk Public Schools is not able to comment on specific student or personnel issues.
Norfolk Public Schools is guided by the policies in its Student Handbook, including the bus safety regulations on page 83 through 86, and the Standards of Student Conduct acknowledgment form on the last page.
A court document shows that Johnson filed a temporary emergency protective order against the mother in the video.
“Cussing me out in front of everybody, threatening my life and everything,” described the driver.
Johnson said the child has been removed from that bus route.
News 3 attempted to reach the woman in the video to see if she wanted to tell her side of the story. She did not. In fact, she threatened to call the police on the news crew.
Johnson said she plans to speak at the next Norfolk School Board meeting as she wants to bring awareness of the stressful situation that bus drivers can face.
“I would like for this parent to be held accountable. I would like for her to serve community service. Be charged; be fined,” Johnson stated.
In a separate incident, Norfolk Police stated Johnson is facing charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She said it involves a high school student who she allegedly left at a bus stop because he would not board the bus. That case is scheduled to be in court June 15.
