CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A former Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS) bus driver who was recently asked to resign after posting a video to Facebook with students says the school system is considering reinstating her in her position.
Jessica Flowers confirmed to WTKR Chesapeake reporter Erin Holly that the school system is considering reinstating her, but said it's not set in stone because she has yet to receive any official paperwork.
This all started when bus Flowers posted a video to her personal Facebook page that shows her doing a variety of handshakes with students. Each handshake had its own special flourishes, and in the video, Flowers appears to remember the cadence of each student's motions.
In the original video that was posted, students' faces were not covered; however, Flowers has maintained that their parents had granted permission for her to post it. Later versions circulated online used emojis and colored hearts to cover faces.
Watch an edited version of the video that had Flowers resign
After the video was posted to Flowers' Facebook page, she was pulled into the office with school administrators and was told she was terminated. She immediately took out her phone and offered to delete the video, but she said an administrator told her they have a "zero tolerance policy for posting kids on Facebook."
Then, she was given the option to resign or be fired, Flowers said. She resigned.
Watch: Interview with school bus driver who resigned after posting video
Local attorney Tim Anderson shared that he had taken Flowers' case pro bono and made a post to his Facebook page Tuesday night to share the news. Anderson shared that CPS decided to reinstate Flowers, but as she clarified later, the deal still in the works.
She was also told, Flowers said, that she may not be able to return to her bus route.
Anderson's post states, in part, "Jessica is absolutely thrilled to return to doing what she loves — greeting her students each morning with the same warmth and kindness that made her so beloved. It’s not yet clear if she’ll be placed back on her original route — the one that meant so much to her and to the children who started every day with her smile — but we’re hopeful that Chesapeake will make that right."
