PEDRO -- Rock Hill School Superintendent Lloyd Evans will prepare a written report concerning allegations that a bus driver paid another child to beat up a kindergarten student on her bus.

The school board voted unanimously last night to direct Evans to do so. Evans, meanwhile, said the bus driver has denied the allegations. The driver remains on the job.

Evans said the school district conducted a preliminary investigation of the matter and determined the driver did nothing wrong.

"She adamantly denies the allegations," Evans said after the board's regular meeting last evening at the high school.

Evans said Randy and Denise Littlejohn's complaint was filed several days after the incident involving their son allegedly occurred, and that there were "no signs of physical injury."

Littlejohn came to the April school board meeting and asked to speak to the board about the matter, but was told at the time the matter had to be addressed in executive session at a future board meeting. Evans said last evening that the child's parents were invited to a special meeting in executive session Monday night to discuss the matter but that they refused to attend the meeting.

Evans also chided The Ironton Tribune for a statement included in a story about this incident that was published in the Tuesday, May 20 edition of the newspaper. The Tribune reported that attempts were made to contact Evans Monday about the matter, but that those calls were not returned.

Evans said he did return the phone calls Tuesday morning and left a message for the reporter to contact him, and that his call was not returned.

Evans' call was made before press time Tuesday morning.