A local mother says her 12-year-old son left Oceanway Middle School bruised and with broken glasses on April 24.
“Another little boy had decided to pick up his trumpet case with the trumpet in it and strike my son in the temple,” Cindy Hereford said.
She said she tried to get a resource officer to the school.
When she was told by administrators an officer wouldn’t make it, she contacted Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
“They’re telling me it happened on school grounds, so as a parent I have to follow school protocol. I cannot go through JSO," Hereford said.
A local mother says her son was hit over the head with a trumpet case during band class by another student at Oceanway Middle School. pic.twitter.com/pZrbslvGs9
— Beth Rousseau (@BethANJax) May 18, 2018
According to Hereford a rule requiring a school resource officer to file the initial report is preventing her from filing charges.
In April, Action News Jax told you the mother of a Sandalwood High School student was facing a similar issue.
“Why is it that the school is not doing something to protect the kids? That’s what I don’t understand,” said Hereford.
Cindy Hereford tells me her 12-year-old's glasses were broken and he was bruised when another Oceanway Middle School student hit him over the head with a trumpet case. pic.twitter.com/DOUtntxSZO
— Beth Rousseau (@BethANJax) May 18, 2018
Action News Jax reached out to the Duval County School District.
A spokesperson sent a statement that said they cannot discuss the matter publicly due to privacy laws.
Hereford said she received a letter from the school saying it’s being investigated as an act of bullying.
“As a parent, I’m sorry, I want to be able to take the steps that I need to protect my child. I’d like to take this to the state attorney,” Hereford said.
Hereford tells me she wants to press charges, but there’s a loophole leaving parents helpless. I’ll tell you the protocol she says is putting students at risk - on CBS47 @ActionNewsJax AT 5:30 pic.twitter.com/20hcq27a0G
— Beth Rousseau (@BethANJax) May 18, 2018
Cox Media Group