KILGORE, Texas (KETK) – In late August, an eighth-grade student at Kilgore Middle School in East Texas suffered a severe head injury after being body-slammed in the school cafeteria, causing controversy between community members and the district.
East Texas middle school student suffers skull fracture in cafeteria altercation; parents demand answers
From the severe head injury and recovery, to the district’s review of safety measures and family members speaking out, Nexstar’s KETK News has created a timeline of the incident that has caused parents to demand answers.
The incident: Aug. 21
During the afternoon of Aug. 21, Lukas Hardeman was talking with friends at the lunch table when another student picked him up and slammed him headfirst into a steel chair.
Hardeman was rushed to a local emergency room, then transferred to a Dallas hospital, where he spent five days in the ICU. The surgeons had to temporarily remove two parts of his skull to stop the bleeding and relieve swelling.
Photos courtesy of Catom L Hardeman
Doctors later confirmed he had a six-inch skull fracture, though there were no signs of permanent brain damage.
School board president’s statement: Aug. 25
On the morning of Aug. 25, the school board president, Jason Smith, released a statement about the limitations on what they can share about their students and staff…