(7News) — Virginia lawmakers took action this week after Loudoun County Public Schools failed to notify parents of several student overdoses for weeks late last year.
This week, the Virginia State Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill that would require schools to notify parents of school-connected overdoses within 24 hours of student overdoses occurring. Thirty-nine out of 40 senators gave their stamp of approval. The bill now goes to the House of Delegates for a vote.
In November, Republican Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin cited 7News’ reporting in his executive order that requires school districts to notify school communities of student overdoses within 24 hours.
Virginia State Senator Jennifer Carroll Foy’s bill would codify Gov. Youngkin’s executive order in state code—meaning when Gov. Youngkin leaves office—schools would still have to notify parents of student overdoses.
This was Carroll Foy’s reaction when she learned Loudoun County Superintendent Aaron Spence and LCPS did not notify the public about the student overdoses involving several students at Park View High School in Sterling, Va.:
“Total shock and disappointment,” Carroll Foy told 7News. “And that spurred my efforts to work with the governor’s administration to champion and codify this transparency and notification bill, because we can’t allow that to happen. As a public defender. I see every day the effects of overdosing, and the effects of fentanyl and it is deadly. It’s like something we’ve never seen before. Skin-to-skin contact can cause an overdose. And so we want to make sure that we are informing our parents, informing the community, there’s something out there that can literally kill you. And so let’s have conversations. Let’s do things that can prevent that.”
In November, 7News asked superintendent Spence several questions including why it took him so long to notify parents of student overdoses, but Spence walked away.
“Fentanyl in schools, drugs in schools are an extreme concern to parents,” said Republican Del. Amanda Batten.
Batten is carrying a House version of the overdose notification bill and she told 7News she introduced this bill following Spence’s failure to notify parents.
“We were shocked by the fact that parents were almost the last to know,” said Batten.
In an email to parents, Loudoun County Public Schools is now warning parents about a drug called Xylazine, also known as ‘tranq’ or ‘tranq dope.”
LCPS says this drug is often mixed with illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. It can be ingested orally, inhaled or sniffed, smoked, or injected.
The DEA said the FDA approved the drug for veterinary use.
The CDC describes the drug as a tranquilizer for large animals.
By Nick Minock, ABC7 News
Tags: Naloxone Opioid Epidemic Overdose School Overdose
