
Houston County mom speaks out after 6-year-old son’s life-altering injury at school
A 6-year-old Houston County boy lost vision in one eye after a playground accident. His family is calling for better supervision and school protocols.
PERRY, Ga. — A Houston County mother is speaking out after her 6-year-old son suffered a life-changing injury during recess at Morningside Elementary.
Jasmine Jones said she received a call on April 14 around 2:30 p.m. informing her that her son, Jagger, had been hurt on the playground.
Jones explained that another student pulled back a tree branch near the playground, and when released, it flew forward and scraped Jagger’s left eye. The injury resulted in Jagger losing almost all vision in that eye.
“It’s kind of nerve-wracking. I can tell him to get something right in front of him, and he’s not seeing it. He’s looking everywhere and he’s not seeing it anymore,” Jones said.
Jones said the injury was accidental, but was upset to hear from Jagger that teachers were not watching the children during recess when it happened.
Linda Lee, Jagger’s adoptive grandmother, said she requested the school’s playground supervision protocol from the principal but never received a response.
“There were 60 children out there, and all the teachers were seated. I don’t consider that watching the children,” Lee said.
The family discussed legal action, but has not pursued it. When they reported the incident to the school district, they were met with a response citing sovereign immunity — the legal protection that often shields government entities from lawsuits.
The Houston County School District issued the following statement:
“The safety of our students is always our number one priority, and our hearts go out to this student and family. Teachers actively supervise their students during recess; however, as with any active play environment, accidents can still occur despite appropriate supervision. We remain committed to maintaining safe play areas and providing vigilant supervision to support the well-being of all students.”
The family hopes that sharing their story will raise awareness about the importance of vigilant supervision during recess to prevent similar injuries. […]