Rhea Co. mother pulls son from school after attack by classmate videoed on bus

From Local 3 News: A Rhea County mother says she pulled her son out of school after a violent bullying incident on a school bus, claiming the school has not done enough to ensure his safety.

Sydney Williams said her son, Landon, was riding the bus home from Rhea Central Elementary School on March 4, when another child came from the back of the bus, yelling, spitting, and repeatedly punching him.

The attack was caught on camera by another student.

“In the video, you can see it's pretty harsh, and it came out of nowhere. It just came out of nowhere,” Williams said. “There were other students who took videos, and they're just all over online right now.”

According to the incident report by the Rhea County Sheriff's Department, Landon was punched 18 times.

“He came off the bus, and he was shaking and he was crying, and he said he just wanted to go, he just wanted to go,” Williams recalled. “He had a bloody nose, and he had blood on his shirt and a bruise on his eye.”

Williams said she was on a field trip with her daughters when the attack happened. The next morning, she went to the school demanding answers and to review the bus footage.
“I saw the bus footage. That's when I just really had to get personal with it, and I have to be loud for my child because…,” she said, taking a deep breath.

Williams said she also went to the Rhea County Sheriff's Department to obtain the incident report but learned it was not filed until three days after the attack.

She said she later found out the student responsible was suspended for 10 days and removed from the bus for 15 days. The school has since closed its investigation.

Williams said, “I've asked them multiple times what are you going to do to make sure that my son is safe when this kid does come back? And they live off of ‘what if's’ and that the kid will learn from his lesson from the suspension. I just can't take that as an answer.”

Williams has formally pressed charges against the student.

The Rhea County Sheriff's Department said they believe the school is proactive in addressing bullying, but Williams disagrees.

“I did have faith in the school system, definitely, when you see new security measures coming in; but, I feel like at this point, it's just a look for the public instead of them actually enforcing it,” she said.