SOUTH MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Disturbing videos of a school bus beating shows two children, who are brother and sister, being pounded by their peers, prompting the victims’ mother to take action.
The students’ parents met with 7News and said they have tried for weeks to get help for their children, who attend Coconut Palm K-8 Academy, located at 24400 SW 124th Ave. in South Miami-Dade.
In the bus riding beating, the 9-year-old girl can be seen bent down in her seat as a teen stood over her and delivered a barrage of blows.
Another video showed her 10-year-old brother being beaten while on the same bus.
The little girl was left with scratches and bruises, and her parents are now left figuring out why this happened to their children.
“This kid is just beating my daughter senseless for no reason. She can’t defend herself,” said the children’s father. “She’s a little girl. How is this acceptable?”
The girl suffered bruises on her head, back and shoulders, leaving her parents fuming and full of questions about how this could have happened to their children.
“At the same time that my daughter was getting beaten, the same thing was happening to my son on the other side of the bus,” said the victims’ father.
Both videos have since made the rounds on social media. The clips were recorded Wednesday on a school bus carrying students from Coconut Palm Academy.
The parents of the children, who asked to remain anonymous, said this isn’t the first time their daughter and son have been targeted. They said they’ve been bullied at this school since they started in January.
“Ever since then, I’ve been to the school, and I’ve spoken with counselors, principals, assistant principals,” said the children’s mother.
“An assistant principal wrote us, and she said, ‘Oh, I think it’s time you take your kids out of the school,’ and our kids aren’t the problem,” said the children’s father.
“They love to learn, and it’s just so sad that something that they enjoy is becoming something they’re fearing now,” said the children’s mother.
Since the incident, these parents have pulled their children out of Coconut Palm Academy.
They’re taking their 9-year-old to a doctor and may take legal action after that.
“How many times do we have to come to an assistant principal, principal or counselor within the school for someone to actually step up and say, ‘We’re going to make these changes?'” said the children’s mother.
“I’d understand if it’s a one-time issue, whatever, but we’ve been calling their attention since day one,” said the children’s father. “Since day one we’ve been calling their attention, and they’ve done jack.”
One student has been arrested, while others were disciplined.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools released the following statement: “The safety and well-being of our students is of the utmost importance. The school district goes to great lengths to promote values of restraint and respect, as well as using social media responsibly. We ask that parents reinforce those principles at home.”
The children’s parents said they may be homeschooling their children, for now, to keep them safe.
As of Friday afternoon, the Miami-Dade public school system is now reviewing the incident to see if the bus driver should face any disciplinary action.
7News asked Miami-Dade Public Schools if the superintendent would answer questions about the bullying issue at the school but has yet to comment.
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