COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. -- The former Colonial Heights school bus aide charged with hitting special needs children on the school bus said she thought her job on the bus was a perfect match given the fact she is raising two grandchildren with special needs. On Monday, she was charged with two counts of assault and battery, accused of hitting special needs students. Peggy Jordan said despite the charges, she did not hit anyone.
"I love all the children, it's just an unfortunate situation and I'm not sure how we got here," she said in an exclusive interview. "I would never hurt a child."
Jordan, 56, said there were 18 students with special needs on the bus at the time of alleged incident took place. It was during the school bus ride when one of the students got upset and, according to Jordan, hit her.
"I hit no one, I was being hit, but I hit no one," she said. "I understand these children, I know what it takes to calm them. I know what happens during a meltdown, and I know how to handle it, and it's not by hitting a child."
Jordan said she had no idea from where the accusation came.
The mother of a seven-year-old student Jordan allegedly hit said she was informed about the incident Monday.
"This is my worst nightmare and I never thought it would come true, but it’s coming true now," she said. "It is a very difficult situation when you have a child, whether he’s special needs or not, that cannot tell you when someone has violated them."
The mother, who spoke with WTVR CBS 6 on the condition of anonymity, said her son is nonverbal and on the extreme end of the autism spectrum. She said she received a call from the school system on Monday stating that her son had reportedly been slapped on the arm.
Jordan remained adamant she hit no one on the school bus. She is due back in court this May.
