Leander ISD parent calls for more crossing guards after daughter’s injury
LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — A Leander ISD mom is asking the school district to do a better job keeping her daughter safe after her sixth-grader got injured just outside her school.
Grace Jowers was crossing at a crosswalk in front of Leander Middle School Monday when she said a car quickly approached, causing her to worry she’d get hit.
“As I was crossing, a white car was coming and wasn’t slowing down, so I started to run across,” Grace said.
No crossing guard was there, and Jowers ended up falling and hurting her ankle.
According to Jower’s mom Kerrie, the incident happened around 8 a.m., which is when the school’s doors open for the day, although class doesn’t begin until 8:55 a.m.
Grace made her way into the school and went straight to see a school nurse. Once there, Grace said the nurse bandaged her ankle and told her she could either go to class.
Instead, Grace called her mom.
“I was very very shocked that she was about to send her back to class and I had to say, ‘No that’s not happening, she needs to go to a hospital,’” Kerrie said.
Once there, doctors diagnosed Grace with a sprained ankle and gave her stitches.
In a statement to KXAN News Leander ISD said, “Leander ISD’s top priority will always be student safety. We work diligently with each campus and our community to ensure that students are supported in safely traveling to and from school. We would like to once again remind drivers to use extra caution in school zones, as well as during peak travel times for students.”
The district said crossing guards begin working a half-hour before class starts, however, school doors open 55 minutes before class begins. This means there’s a 25-minute window where the school is open without crossing guards.
Road signs outside the school show the school zone times are from 7:15 to 9:05 a.m. and from 2:35 to 4:35 p.m.
Kerrie believes the school needs crossing guards to be out there the whole time.
“I don’t want another child to have to endure the pain that she went through yesterday,” she said.
On Tuesday, Leander Middle School sent a note home to parents asking them if they’d be interested in volunteering as a crossing guard before the staff crossing guards are scheduled to work.