‘There is a fentanyl problem here': 9 overdoses reported at Loudoun County high school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it is the governments job to protect our borders. But Democrats have allowed 8 million illegal aliens to flood the borders in the last 3 years

And Trump allowed more before that. What a weird nonsequitur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it is the governments job to protect our borders. But Democrats have allowed 8 million illegal aliens to flood the borders in the last 3 years

And Trump allowed more before that. What a weird nonsequitur.

That's a flat out lie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:it is the governments job to protect our borders. But Democrats have allowed 8 million illegal aliens to flood the borders in the last 3 years

And Trump allowed more before that. What a weird nonsequitur.

You think by making a statement like this that people will actually believe you?
You know, I know, the world knows..... that Biden has set the record for allowing the most migrants to illegally enter our country. This is not debatable. It is a fact. He has set a record for every metric of illegal immigration - and none of them are good.
So, just quit lying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

Why is that? Seems like the sheriff's dept should be involved in some way if there are drugs at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

Why is that? Seems like the sheriff's dept should be involved in some way if there are drugs at school.

If a kid was caught at school with drugs that they could get hold of and test, sure. Then they might be charged. If a kid ODs, no. They do not assume jurisdiction over that. A kid who ODs is not a matter they will take up. They will

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another piece on the same story:

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/virginia-high-school-saw-8-opioid-overdoses-three-weeks-unprecedented-rcna123151?ex=digest

I find this outrageous:

Four of the overdoses occurred on campus and three required CPR. At least three cases also required the administration of naloxone, a life-saving medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to quickly reverse opioid overdoses.

Julia said at least one person at every school in Loudoun County is trained to administer the medication.

In a statement Tuesday, the superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, Aaron Spence, said he was "concerned and saddened" by the crisis, adding that "the issue of addiction is truly at play here."

Spence said the school system held community information sessions about fentanyl last spring and is now training and supplying its high school staff with naloxone. Park View families received a message this week with information and resources, he added.

But Julia said the sheriff's office felt the need to draw more attention to the issue by issuing a press release on Tuesday.

"Normally we allow the schools to take the lead in this, but in all honesty, we felt that there was not enough public information being put out there of what was actually happening," he said.

Loudoun County Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment.

So, the school did not contact parents? The sheriff's office had to do this?

The Narcan training takes no more than 10-15 minutes. EVERY teacher/staff member should be trained.

Why is it their responsibility? They’re supposed to be EMTs now, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another piece on the same story:

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/virginia-high-school-saw-8-opioid-overdoses-three-weeks-unprecedented-rcna123151?ex=digest

I find this outrageous:

Four of the overdoses occurred on campus and three required CPR. At least three cases also required the administration of naloxone, a life-saving medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to quickly reverse opioid overdoses.

Julia said at least one person at every school in Loudoun County is trained to administer the medication.

In a statement Tuesday, the superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, Aaron Spence, said he was "concerned and saddened" by the crisis, adding that "the issue of addiction is truly at play here."

Spence said the school system held community information sessions about fentanyl last spring and is now training and supplying its high school staff with naloxone. Park View families received a message this week with information and resources, he added.

But Julia said the sheriff's office felt the need to draw more attention to the issue by issuing a press release on Tuesday.

"Normally we allow the schools to take the lead in this, but in all honesty, we felt that there was not enough public information being put out there of what was actually happening," he said.

Loudoun County Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment.

So, the school did not contact parents? The sheriff's office had to do this?

The Narcan training takes no more than 10-15 minutes. EVERY teacher/staff member should be trained.

Why is it their responsibility? They’re supposed to be EMTs now, too?

It's the same as getting trained to administer an Epi pen. I stand by what I said.

[Anonymous]

allergic reaction = drug overdose

Ok,
got it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another piece on the same story:

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/virginia-high-school-saw-8-opioid-overdoses-three-weeks-unprecedented-rcna123151?ex=digest

I find this outrageous:

Four of the overdoses occurred on campus and three required CPR. At least three cases also required the administration of naloxone, a life-saving medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to quickly reverse opioid overdoses.

Julia said at least one person at every school in Loudoun County is trained to administer the medication.

In a statement Tuesday, the superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, Aaron Spence, said he was "concerned and saddened" by the crisis, adding that "the issue of addiction is truly at play here."

Spence said the school system held community information sessions about fentanyl last spring and is now training and supplying its high school staff with naloxone. Park View families received a message this week with information and resources, he added.

But Julia said the sheriff's office felt the need to draw more attention to the issue by issuing a press release on Tuesday.

"Normally we allow the schools to take the lead in this, but in all honesty, we felt that there was not enough public information being put out there of what was actually happening," he said.

Loudoun County Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment.

So, the school did not contact parents? The sheriff's office had to do this?

The Narcan training takes no more than 10-15 minutes. EVERY teacher/staff member should be trained.

Why is it their responsibility? They’re supposed to be EMTs now, too?

Teenagers are being trained on how to use Narcan, it can be purchased over the counter now. I remember classes being offered for free last year after a series of overdoses in Arlington and Fairfax County. The training seems to be being offered in the same way the Red Cross offers CPR/AED or stop the bleed training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

Why is that? Seems like the sheriff's dept should be involved in some way if there are drugs at school.

If a kid was caught at school with drugs that they could get hold of and test, sure. Then they might be charged. If a kid ODs, no. They do not assume jurisdiction over that. A kid who ODs is not a matter they will take up. They will

It seems as if they will only get involved if there is a student dealing the drugs. And, of course, the pills will have to be discovered as well for them to make an arrest and for the Commonwealth’s Attorney to consider a juvenile petition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

Why is that? Seems like the sheriff's dept should be involved in some way if there are drugs at school.

If a kid was caught at school with drugs that they could get hold of and test, sure. Then they might be charged. If a kid ODs, no. They do not assume jurisdiction over that. A kid who ODs is not a matter they will take up. They will

And that is part of the problem, in general. Only going after sellers, not after buyers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

Why is that? Seems like the sheriff's dept should be involved in some way if there are drugs at school.

If a kid was caught at school with drugs that they could get hold of and test, sure. Then they might be charged. If a kid ODs, no. They do not assume jurisdiction over that. A kid who ODs is not a matter they will take up. They will

And that is part of the problem, in general. Only going after sellers, not after buyers.

Well, use your voice to explain to the school board that they should consider reviewing their policy. Because that’s the policy. ODing at school isn’t criminal and it will only get you days in ISR once you return to school. Where, typically, you’re going to access the same drugs and have another incident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

Can you call the police if you review the cameras and see which bathroom they were in before the OD happened and who else was leaving the same time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is from school board member Ian Sorotkin's FB page.

"Fentanyl is a national crisis, and one that we are not immune to in Loudoun County. What we need right now isn’t election eve politics, it’s help. The issue of fentanyl in our schools has been on our radar for some time. LCPS held six informational sessions on the matter last spring in collaboration with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and has been intentional about awareness and education in numerous newsletters, messages, and press releases. We now have Naloxone in all schools and have staff at each school trained in its use.

LCPS has protocols and supports in place when we discover that individual students are struggling with drug use. Those protocols offer support and resources to the student and their family. That said, supports for juveniles suffering with addiction issues are few and far between, waitlists are long, and treatment is often cost prohibitive. Now is the time to come together as a community and right that wrong. Our kids deserve better, and it is up to us to do better for them."

This. It is clear LCPS is trying to do everything they can to deal with this very difficult situation. The nut jobs make it sound like there is some magic wand to fix this or they think staging 500 cops inside the schools and turning them in to prisons would be better.

I’m an LCPS teacher. No, LCPS is NOT doing everything they can to help this. Not at all.

Wow is that right?
This is scary.
Where do you think most of it takes place inside the school? Is it in open view to kids in school? Can they see whoever is doing it?
I am SO scared of exposure to other kids.

That has nothing to do with LCPS and what it’s doing. Kids experiment with drugs. That’s not new. What is new is how deadly fentanyl is and how prevalent it is in the pills kids are getting and taking.

LCPS’ policy says that if a kid overdoses at school, the first offense is 3 days in ISR. The second offense is 5 or 7 days in ISR. The third offense is 10 days. After the 3rd offense (which mind you, means that likely the school crisis team has likely had to save their life 3 times) the school can “consider alternate placement.” But there’s nowhere for them to actually go. LCPS no longer has an alternative school like Douglass where kids can be removed from their home school environment and placed in a school with smaller numbers, more supervision, and more support.

North Star school isn’t used for this purpose - they don’t accept behavior referrals. Kids have to apply and be accepted and choose to go if they are accepted. They don’t have to go, and they can leave when they want and go back to their home school. These kids are addicted and just sitting in their school environment. The discipline matrix means there’s very little that can be done- they can’t be suspended for using drugs at school. Law enforcement will not pursue it as a criminal matter.

LCPS needs to reestablish alternative school options to SUPPORT kids who are overdosing at school repeatedly. Increasing days of ISR is not a solution. It leaves kids in crisis in schools where the staff and other students have to absorb the impact of their addiction and choices as well. Everytime an ambulance is called, the school goes on hold. This disrupts student movement throughout the building and shifts class changes and lunches sometimes, depending on when it happens. Kids and staff are watching classmates receive life saving measures * in classrooms.*

None of this is the job of a school. It’s the parent’s job, the community’s job, the health profession’s job, but definitely not the school’s. Somewhere along the way we decided schools were supposed to solve every problem. That’s patently absurd and it’s made the schools suck at the one thing they are supposed to do - educate students.

When the overdoses happen AT the school, it becomes the schools' problem.

No. It’s illegal. Call the police and send them to jail. Not the school’s problem. I’m over it.

I am an LCPS teacher. I have already said in this thread that the police do not and will not handle this as a criminal matter. Contrary to everyone else in this thread running their mouth and babbling about cartels and special permissions, I am actually informed on this as I teach here. You can’t just “call the police” when a kid ODs at school. They flat out will not arrest or charge or take any jurisdiction over the issue.

Can you call the police if you review the cameras and see which bathroom they were in before the OD happened and who else was leaving the same time?

I’m not sure what part of my comments you don’t understand. Unless a kid is caught WITH drugs and the SRO can test them and prove what they are and there is evidence there was intent to sell, law enforcement is not getting involved or charging students. A student coming out of the bathroom at the same time as another student and then ODing later does not confirm that a) the student walking out at the same time sold it to them or b) what they took. Once it is ingested and the student has a medical event, that is what it becomes. We don’t know what they took. We cannot test it. We cannot determine where they got it.

Students come into school with pills, take them at school, and have a medical event. Students take pills at home, then get to school and have a medical event. Some students buy them at school. Some students are clearly on drugs but still conscious - they can be referred and evaluated by the nurse and documented to likely be under the influence (we cannot drug or urine test so these are visible external exams) but if *they do not have the drugs on them that can be confiscated and tested* it is not a criminal issue. LEO will not get involved.