The Fort Worth Police Department is looking into a cellphone video of a fight on a school bus that left a 7-year-old girl injured.
Sharhonda Courtney said her 7-year-old daughter was hit by an older student while on the school bus and as her daughter deals with the emotional trauma from the attack she wants to warn other parents about the dangers of bullying.
"She says the little girl got up and came towards her and started yanking her side to side," Courtney said describing the video. "My daughter stated that she was on the floor of the bus and the little girl was banging her head on the back window of the bus."
Courtney's daughter suffered a black eye in the attack and is now having trouble sleeping due to the trauma.
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βMy daughter is afraid," said Courtney. "She doesn't want to sleep alone."
This mom is now dealing with her own emotions.
"Oh my God, it made me so upset,β Courtney said. βI felt like, I was just angry. I wish I could have been there to protect her."
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Courtney said this was the result of bullying that her daughter was scared to talk about.
"Talk to yβall children,β Courtney said. βYou never know what they have going on. Bullying is just outrageous, and I'm upset about it."
The Fort Worth Independent School District issued a written statement about the incident.
βWe appreciate the opportunity to address the recent incident involving bullying on one of our school buses. Ensuring the safety and well-being of all students under our care is our utmost priority, and any behavior that compromises this is taken very seriously. Upon becoming aware of the incident, our administration promptly initiated an investigation into the matter. We have been in close communication with all families involved and students who were affected to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to address the situation and to prevent any future occurrence. We are committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all students. Bullying of any kind is not tolerated and we are dedicated to providing schools and families with the support to address these issues effectively. As we work towards creating a positive and respectful school culture, we encourage all stakeholders to report any concerns they may have promptly. Together we can provide a safe learning environment for all.β
Courtney still wants more answers from the school and video from the school bus camera.
"I haven't seen the full video and I'm still wanting to because, just by what I saw was just outrageous," Courtney said.
"I'm trying to figure out why transportation hasn't reached out. How come nothing was done? Why come she didn't say, 'Hey, they got into a fight.' Tell me something before just driving off on me. Some kind of communication."