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SoTiredofThis

Junior Member
I am in Virginia, my son (12yrs old) was pulled out of class Friday morning for sharing his drink. It was a water with a Hawaiian punch kool aid individual pouch poured in it. The school officials smelled it, and said that it most definitely had cough syrup in it. The associate principal has described hos drink to me, which fits the description of the same drink without any additives such as cough syrup. They also said that he had been drinking it and seemed sluggish with dilated pupils. (My son is on aderrol for ADD, side effects include insomnia, and dilated pupils) My son asked them to test the drink, he was told that it would involve the police and he didn't want that, he said he did if it would prove to them that it was just kool aid. Then he asked them to call me, they refused. When they called me, at 3:17pm, I was and still am very upset, I immediately took him to the hospital for a drug screening (negative) and to make sure he was if he had in fact ingested something dangerous, and they(school) have also now sent the drink off for testing, my concern is, if they were so sure that my son ingested an unknown amount of cough syrup/codeine why did they a) not immediately alert me b) not call an ambulance? Also, can they refuse to call a parent if requested by a student?
 


quincy

Senior Member
I am in Virginia, my son (12yrs old) was pulled out of class Friday morning for sharing his drink. It was a water with a Hawaiian punch kool aid individual pouch poured in it. The school officials smelled it, and said that it most definitely had cough syrup in it. The associate principal has described hos drink to me, which fits the description of the same drink without any additives such as cough syrup. They also said that he had been drinking it and seemed sluggish with dilated pupils. (My son is on aderrol for ADD, side effects include insomnia, and dilated pupils) My son asked them to test the drink, he was told that it would involve the police and he didn't want that, he said he did if it would prove to them that it was just kool aid. Then he asked them to call me, they refused. When they called me, at 3:17pm, I was and still am very upset, I immediately took him to the hospital for a drug screening (negative) and to make sure he was if he had in fact ingested something dangerous, and they(school) have also now sent the drink off for testing, my concern is, if they were so sure that my son ingested an unknown amount of cough syrup/codeine why did they a) not immediately alert me b) not call an ambulance? Also, can they refuse to call a parent if requested by a student?
We can only guess at the reasons behind the school's actions. You should learn more at the Board hearing. Your son can/should have an attorney with him.

The school should have respected your son's right to have you present for any questioning or he could have refused to answer questions. Most kids are not aware that silence is an acceptable, legal and often recommended option.

Here is a link to education rights for children in Virginia, from the Virginia Legal Aid Society: http://vlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Education-Rights-for-Children.pdf

Why didn't the Adderol show up on the hospital drug screen?
 
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