Texas Principal Is Left Blind in One Eye After Vicious Attack by Middle School Student
(KHOU)
An assistant principal in Texas was left blind in one eye after a violent encounter with an “aggressive” middle school student who threw a clothes hanger at her face, potentially leading to the permanent loss of her eye. Candra Rogers was responding to a report of students fighting in a classroom at Collins Intermediate School in Corsicana on August 15 when the incident occurred.
The student threw several chairs at Rogers, which she managed to dodge, but a hanger thrown by the student struck her right eye, causing severe injury, according to WFAA. “The hanger hit me in my right eye and knocked it out of the socket,” Rogers recounted during a press conference on Tuesday, her first public statement since the incident. “I grabbed my face while blood was pouring out of my head and stumbled out of the classroom door.”
The injury was so serious that paramedics at the scene determined she needed to be airlifted to a hospital. Rogers revealed that she has been left blind in the injured eye, and doctors are uncertain if her vision can be restored. If the damage proves untreatable, she may need to have her eye removed. “I am still believing God for a miracle for restoration of my sight,” Rogers said, adding that she also faces reconstructive surgery on her eyelid.
Following the attack, the student was taken into police custody, according to a school district press release. The case has been referred to the Navarro County District Attorney’s Office and the Juvenile Probation Department, with charges expected to be filed. The student has also been banned from the campus.
Rogers had just joined the Corsicana district last semester, while her husband, Eugene Rogers, began his first season as Corsicana High School’s football coach this year. There is currently no estimate on when Rogers might be able to return to work.
During the press conference, Rogers emphasized the need for better protection for educators, calling on the district and state to take action. “We should never have to fear being in a classroom with an aggressive student,” she stated. “Overly aggressive students need services to meet their needs, but I do not believe the safety of other students and the educational staff should suffer.”
Rogers also criticized Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the state legislature for refusing to increase public school funding despite a $32 billion budget surplus. “It is important to point out that the decision to continue funding Texas public schools at 2019 levels in 2024 is a choice,” Rogers said. She highlighted the negative consequences of this decision, including academic struggles, student discipline issues, and challenges in teacher retention and student support.
