Sean Bravener said his nonverbal daughter rides the school bus, and he and his wife learned of the alleged child abuse from another parent days after the incident. Bravener spoke to Thomas on Tuesday to question why the school district never notified parents about what allegedly occurred on the bus.
A school bus driver arrested for allegedly striking a student with a hammer was terminated Tuesday night by the Escambia County School Board.Escambia Superintendent Malcolm Thomas suspended 55-year-old Jimmy Edwards last week after Edwards allegedly struck a West Pensacola Elementary student multiple times with his hand and a hammer. He then allegedly told the student to vacate the bus and left the child at the intersection of U.S. 98 and Fairfield Drive.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Edwards. He was held in Escambia County jail for two days before posting bond, which was set at $27,500. Thomas said the school district followed protocol in paying the suspended Edwards through Tuesday, but the seriousness of the two felony charges — child neglect and cruelty toward a child — warranted him recommending to the school board that Edwards be terminated.
