Nationwide — Jessica Flowers, an African American school bus driver from Chesapeake, Virginia, who was forced to resign after posting handshake videos with her students, has been reinstated after weeks of community support and legal action.
Flowers was known for her friendly connection with the kids she drove to school each day. Each student had a special handshake with her, and with their parents’ permission, she filmed a short video to capture the cheerful moments. The clips, shared on social media, showed the joy and trust she built with her riders.
Not long after the videos went viral, Chesapeake Public Schools informed Flowers that she had violated its “zero tolerance” social media policy — a rule she said she wasn’t aware of. She was told to either resign or face termination.
Attorney Tim Anderson, moved by her story, offered to represent Flowers pro bono. He launched a fundraiser that collected $10,000 in just 14 hours to support her and her 11-year-old son. Anderson also sent a demand letter and filed a Freedom of Information Act request to the school district, calling for fairness and accountability.
After several weeks, Anderson announced that the district had agreed to bring Flowers back, according to My Fox 8. “Jessica is absolutely thrilled to return to doing what she loves — greeting her students each morning with the same warmth and kindness that made her so beloved,” he said on Facebook.
Parents and local residents celebrated her reinstatement, saying she brought positivity and encouragement to children on her route. It remains unclear if she’ll return to her old route, but Anderson said they’re hopeful the district will handle her reinstatement fairly and without retaliation.