NEWARK -- The mother of the Legend Elementary School 5-year-old who was struck by a fourth-grader on a Newark school bus last month -- an incident cap

NEWARK -- The mother of the Legend Elementary School 5-year-old who was struck by a fourth-grader on a Newark school bus last month -- an incident captured on video by a bus camera -- said she took her concerns directly to the media because she was not satisfied with the response of school officials.

However, Newark City Schools Communication Director Frances Russ said Friday all district and school officials responded appropriately and the fourth-grade student has been disciplined.

Because the matter involves juveniles on both sides, "A lot of what has occurred in terms of the disciplinary actions taken are not public record," Russ said. "Disciplinary measures have been put in place."

Russ said she could not confirm Friday whether the fourth-grade student still was riding the district bus. She also could not confirm whether reports of other alleged incidents involving the fourth-grade student bullying or striking other district pupils have been examined by the district.

"Everyone handled this appropriately," Russ said.

She said she encourages any parent whose child is dealing with bullying to go directly to their child's school principal.

TWO MOTHERS SPEAK

The mother of the 5-year-old seen being attacked on video visited The Advocate offices Friday afternoon to share her side of the story regarding her son's injuries and what happened when her husband met the school bus April 7 -- the day of the incident -- to pick up their child.

She said her husband learned of the attack when other children leaving the bus told him what had happened. The bus driver also reported the incident to the child's father, she said.

"My son had a huge knot on the back of his head that was there for five days," she said.

She said she immediately contacted police and drove her son to the emergency room, where a CT scan was performed.

The next day, she went to the school to register her concerns and to see what would be done to prevent future incidents. The mother said she initially was told by school officials that she could view the tape from the on-bus camera, but then was told she couldn't see the video.

It was only after a Columbus TV station obtained its own copy of the bus video from Newark police that she finally saw what caused the injuries that sent her to law-enforcement authorities and with her son to Licking Memorial Hospital the day of the attack.

On the video, a punch can be seen being thrown and the 5-year-old heard reacting.

Newark police Sgt. Scott Snow said the bus was in motion near the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Moull Street when the incident occurred.

"My son is small for his age," his mother said, and the other child much larger. "It upset me knowing I couldn't protect my child. This should be looked at seriously. ... They have signs in the school about no bullying."

Because she and her husband work, she said they have no alternative but to have their child transported to and from school by bus.

After an initial report about the 5-year-old's beating appeared on TV, the mother said she was contacted by the parent of another Legend Elementary student who said her daughter had been punched earlier in the stomach by the same fourth-grader and called a racial epithet.

That second parent told The Advocate on Friday afternoon her daughter was struck in the stomach by the same fourth-grade student several weeks before the incident caught on tape.

"She came in the door crying," the girl's mother said.

The mother of the female student said she eventually secured a meeting with Principal Ellen Cooper.

She said her daughter again was punched by the same child -- this time in the face -- on the way to school a few days after the first event.

"She no longer rides the bus," the girl's mother said. "The school is supposed to provide a secure and safe ride to school, but the school system doesn't seem able to do that."

She said when she saw the video of the April 7 incident on the news, she was "floored." It was at that point she reached out to the 5-year-old's mother.

"Bullying is a serious matter, and we are dealing with it in an appropriate manner," Russ said. "We want people to know we are handling this, but we are also dealing with children.