From staff reports

Update: 11:48 a.m. Friday: The mother of an Escambia County student whose child was reportedly slapped by a bus driver said she was disappointed no one took action before this incident.

Pamela Hardy, 56, was arrested this week for allegedly hiting Timisha Cotton's 9-year-old son in the face with the back of her hand.

Cotton said her son had told her he was having disagreements with Hardy, but she had been unaware how antagonist the driver was toward her son until she saw video footage.

"If I had known, he never would have gotten back on that bus," she said.

Video cameras on the bus captured several back and forth exchances between Cotton's son and Hardy over the course of several weeks.

Cotton said she was disappointed that no one from the school, including an adult bus aide who was present during the confrontations, had taken any action to diffuse the situation.

MORE VIDEOS FROM THE BUS:



Update, 11:30 a.m. Thursday: Security cameras from an Escambia County school bus appear to show a bus driver striking a student 9-year-old student.

Pamela Hardy, 56, was charged with child cruelty Tuesday for reportedly hitting a child with the back of her hand in late April, according to a Pensacola Police Department.

Footage from cameras on the bus show the altercation that led to Hardy's arrest, as well as several other verbal exchanges that occurred between Hardy and the child on previous days.

Wednesday's story

An Escambia County bus driver has been arrested for reportedly hitting a 9-year-old student with special needs, a Pensacola Police Department arrest report said.

Pamela Hardy, 56, was charged with child cruelty without great bodily harm Tuesday for the April 29 incident.

The arrest report states the child had been brought to his bus earlier than usual and had asked Hardy for permission to use the restroom.

Video footage taken from the bus reportedly showed Hardy mocking the 9-year-old, saying that "if he shut his mouth, it would relieve the pressure," and that he should "quit whining like a child," the report said. She reportedly told him he would not be allowed to get back on the bus if he got off.

When the child reportedly began play fighting with another student, Hardy left her seat and approached him closely. The report said the 9-year-old "made a gesture at (Hardy), as if he wanted her out of his face," and "Hardy takes the back of her right hand and slaps him across the face."

The report says it is unclear if the student's gesture made contact with Hardy, and that he was removed from the bus after the incident.

The child has a learning disability, is deaf in one ear and utilizes a hearing aid in the other, the report said.

Under investigation

Escambia County Superintendent of Schools Malcolm Thomas said the incident currently is under investigation by the school district and law enforcement agencies. Thomas declined to comment on Hardy's case until the investigation is complete.

Thomas said Hardy was placed on leave after the incident and was prohibited from contacting or driving any students.

"All of our bus drivers are out for the summer, and they are not being paid," Thomas said.

Thomas said he expects the school district to finish its investigation of the incident with Hardy before school resumes this fall.

The superintendent said the results of any investigation of alleged misconduct could range from the dismissal of the allegations, to a letter of reprimand, to suspension, to termination.

Thomas said in any investigation that determines a staff member purposely harmed or endangered a student, he favors termination.

"My No. 1 priority is protecting the safety of our students," Thomas said.

A history of conflict

Hardy's arrest report said Escambia County School District Director of Transportation Rob Doss reviewed the April 29 surveillance along with several other recorded incidents.

He reportedly found that Hardy would "entice and taunt" the 9-year-old, and "engage him and cause a confrontation," the report said.

In an incident on April 28, cameras reportedly captured Hardy demanding an apology from the student for stepping on her foot while walking down the bus aisle.

"The video clearly show he did not make contact with Pamela's foot," the report said. "In fact, he cautiously steps around her foot."

The same day, Hardy reportedly left her normal bus route and drove the school bus to the Escambia County Jail parking lot because the student was making noise and "disturbing her."

On April 11, the cameras reportedly showed Hardy give candy to one child and tell the 9-year-old to "keep your nose out of people's business," when he asked for some.

The child reportedly made a statement to the effect that he didn't want the candy and would "cut Hardy's arm off" if she put them in his seat.

Hardy immediately wrote up a referral on the student, reportedly laughing and dancing while saying "Yay, gave me the reason," the report said.

Hardy reportedly told Doss the student was a constant problem and disrupted others on the bus.

Timisha Cotton, the student's mother, said she filed charges against Hardy last week after the school district showed her the video of her son being slapped.