Staff Reports
Nine students at Park View High School in Loudoun County, Virginia have overdosed on opioids since September, with eight of those incidents happening within the past three weeks. Shocking, right? Well, it’s the sad reality of the drug crisis that our country is facing. And what’s even more alarming is that four of these overdoses happened inside the school itself. That’s right, kids are literally risking their lives in the classroom.
Thankfully, the school staff were quick to respond. Three of the overdoses required the use of Narcan, a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. And on two occasions, staff members had to administer CPR just to keep these students alive. It’s a miracle that none of these overdoses were fatal, but let’s not forget that these are young lives we’re talking about. This is a crisis, plain and simple.
Sheriff Mike Chapman is pulling out all the stops to find the person responsible for distributing these deadly drugs. And he’s not alone in this fight. The Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) system is working closely with the sheriff’s office to provide additional education and security measures. That’s a good start, but is it enough?
One VA High School Had 8 Opioid Overdoses in Three Weeks
https://t.co/E5iCSuRFY8— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 3, 2023
Superintendent Dr. Aarom Spence doesn’t think so. He called the situation a “crisis” and is working on training the school staff to use Narcan. But shouldn’t our focus be on preventing these drugs from getting into the school in the first place? It’s great that we’re educating our kids about the dangers of fentanyl, but we need to do more. We need tougher security measures and stronger consequences for those who bring drugs into schools.
This isn’t just a problem in Loudoun County. The opioid crisis is affecting schools across the country. Just last year, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) made Narcan available on all its campuses. It’s time for other school districts to follow suit and prioritize the safety of their students. Our kids deserve better.
