Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin takes action to address school-related drug overdoses
by [Your Name]
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order on Wednesday to address the growing concern of school-related drug overdoses in the state. This comes after a northern Virginia school district reported 10 suspected student overdoses across six high schools in the first half of the school year.
The executive order directs the Virginia Department of Education to provide guidance to school divisions, requiring them to notify parents of any school-connected overdoses within 24 hours. This comes in response to Loudoun County Public Schools’ delayed notification to parents, which reportedly took more than 20 days.
Governor Youngkin emphasized the importance of parental involvement in their children’s lives, especially when it comes to their safety and well-being within schools. He stated, “School administrators’ first instinct when there is a problem cannot be to delay relevant information on critical children’s health and safety matters.”
Of the 10 students involved in the reported overdoses, four required treatment with Naloxone, also known as Narcan. This is the same number of students from Loudoun County schools who needed Naloxone throughout the entire last school year. The district’s superintendent, Aaron Spence, expressed concern and pledged to address the issue, stating, “Please know that we take this issue seriously.”
In addition to parental notification, Governor Youngkin’s executive order also calls for school divisions to work closely with law enforcement to prevent overdoses and enhance student education on the dangers of drug abuse. The goal is to combat opioid abuse and overdoses through a combination of action and transparency.
The recent increase in overdoses is particularly alarming at Park View High School in Sterling, where eight incidences occurred within a three-week period. Other high schools in the region, including Broad Run, Briar Woods, Dominion, Loudoun County, and Tuscarora, were also identified as places where suspected drug overdoses took place.
All of the reported overdoses were linked to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid commonly found in the form of counterfeit oxycodone pills. Superintendent Spence highlighted the broader nature of this issue, stating, “Schools reflect what is occurring in the community at large, which means this epidemic goes beyond our school walls.”
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the overdoses at Park View High School and will be allocating additional resources to identify the source of the distributed drugs.
Governor Youngkin’s executive order serves as a crucial step towards addressing and preventing school-related drug overdoses. It underscores the need for immediate parental notification, collaboration with law enforcement, and increased education on the dangers of drug abuse. With these measures in place, Virginia aims to protect its students and communities from the devastating effects of opioid overdoses.
[Your Name], [Your News Organization]