Nathaly Encarnacion said she was hurt and devastated when her son came home from school telling her and her partner that all three of them were going to hell because of his moms' same-sex relationship

HAINES CITY — Nathaly Encarnacion said she was hurt and devastated when her son came home from school telling her and her partner that all three of them were going to hell because of his moms' same-sex relationship.

"I couldn't understand it because he has always been super proud to have two moms," she said. "I kept asking him why he felt that way and he just went on and on about how we can't be together or we'll go to hell.

"I cried myself to sleep that night," she said.

A Polk County School District bus driver is accused of putting those thoughts in the second-grader's head.

And although Violeta Jacobo has been told by her supervisor to follow code of conduct, she will not face any disciplinary action, according to the district.

It started when Encarnacion's son brought home a Jehovah's Witnesses business card in early February, she said.

He had missed his regular bus home from Alta Vista Elementary School one afternoon and was put on a different bus. He told the driver — later identified as Jacobo — that he was worried his two moms would be upset that he was getting home so late, Encarnacion said.

Jacobo allegedly told the boy in Spanish that he won't get into heaven because of his parents' same-sex relationship and gave him the business card.

Encarnacion said Jacobo also told her son what a couple is supposed to look like according to the Bible — a man and a woman — and what it would be like to not go to heaven.

"He came home, gave me this business card and told me we have to go look at the videos on this website," Encarnacion said. "He told us (that having two moms) is not right and God doesn't like that and it's the reason we're not going to make it to heaven.

"I've gotten a lot of backlash because I've been told Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe in hell," she added, "but what he described to me is what I think of as hell."

Jehovah's Witnesses centers in Lakeland and Haines City did not answer phone calls Thursday from The Ledger. Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Plant City did not return a phone message.

"The School District’s review of this incident has been completed," spokesman Jason Geary wrote in an email. "She has been counseled by her supervisor on how to properly interact with students, including not to discuss or promote religious matters with students."

Jacobo was hired Aug. 31, 2012, and has no disciplinary action in her personnel file, according to Geary.

A policy advisory letter signed by both Jacobo and her supervisor Wednesday will be placed in her file, he said.

It calls Jacobo a valued team member and reads, "This letter is not to be construed as disciplinary in nature, but is intended to inform or re-familiarize you with School Board policy as it relates to student supervision and welfare."

The letter points out standards of ethical conduct that state a support staff member with direct access to students shall "make a reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student's mental and/or physical health and/or safety" and "not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement."

Encarnacion said she thinks more disciplinary action should be taken.

"At the very least she should be suspended or put on heavy probation," Encarnacion said. "She shouldn't be around kids at all. She was an authority figure in my son's life and what she said really affected him, disturbed my family and our lives completely.

"Someone also should be talking to me about counseling I'll be having to get my son and what my family is going through now."

She said no one from the district has returned her calls about the matter. Geary confirmed that staff members in the district's human resources and transportation services departments did not contact Encarnacion during the review process.

Encarnacion learned about the outcome from the Department of Children and Families, which she went to when she thought the district was ignoring the incident.

A case worker told her that the situation was out of the department's purview, but that the School District had investigated the incident and had told the driver to follow code of conduct, she said.

She spent part of her day Thursday seeking guidance and counseling on the situation. She reached out to Polk Pride, part of nonprofit Lakeland Youth Alliance, which works to raise awareness and acceptance for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Dustin Shay, an executive committee member, called the situation and district's action disappointing.

"It gets tiring to hear stories of discrimination and it's even worse when it's a child," Shay said. "As far as the (policy advisory letter) being the maximum disciplinary action, it sends the wrong message to the School Board and other school employees.

"The message we try to portray at Polk Pride is acceptance, equality and unity, and a story like this is opposite of our mission and values."

The organization plans to connect Encarnacion to one of their counseling partners in the area, Shay said.

Encarnacion said she also may seek legal action against the district for emotional damage done to her family.

"What they do with the bus driver is ultimately up to them," she said, "but I don't think what's been done is enough."

— Madison Fantozzi can be reached at madison.fantozzi@theledger.com or 863-802-7547. Follow her on Twitter @madisonfantozzi.