If that is true than it's even worse that she's doing the same thing to her own kids -- she should know better.
And the children KNEW what they did was wrong, but they covered for their mother because they didn't want her to get into trouble -- NOT because they thought what she was doing was okay, but that when she got the opportunity, but that they were AFRAID she'd KILL them for "telling on" her. Their fears were well founded.
Schools can't do anything unless they see bruises -- she was hitting them in places where teachers can't see bruises (on the head, on the back).
These children need intervention -- and they need to be removed from the home immediately. THAT would start the ball rolling and bring home to those horrible parents that they won't be allowed to get away with that kind of abuse against their helpless children.
