District addressing drug use concerns
By MARIDEE LAWSON
Published: Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 1:06 PM CDT
Updated: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 1:06 PM CDT
The community has recently experienced a couple drug-related deaths and the Farmington School District is working to hopefully diminish the problem.
Interim Superintendent Jerome Watson says the school district is hoping to make the tragedies into a positive thing — at least to some degree. During the November professional development meeting for teachers within the district, administrators are hoping to provide training for the staff to review and help refresh everyone on recognizing the signs of drug use.
Watson said rumors have been flying about increased drugs in the school lately, but that he wasn’t going to comment on the rumors. He said to his knowledge their is no truth to them at this time.
Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker said the toxicology screenings are not back from any of the recent deaths, or near deaths, in the community or surrounding area that are believed to be drug related. However, he did say there have been some eye witness accounts, and one is said to have involved heroine.
A local woman overdosed but she was taken to the hospital and treated and survived. A witness later said she had a drug problem, and it involved heroine. Baker added that without the toxicology reports they have no way of knowing right now whether or not the recent deaths involved heroine.
The chief added that an officer in the Narcotics Division of the police department has commented there have been a handful of cases recently. Baker added that there has not been a large heroine problem in the area for years, and that one or two cases within a short period of time is an “increase”.
“Rumors are all over. I don’t know why people do it. You don’t know how pure it is and how much you are getting when you buy it. If you take too much it can kill you. It’s not like prescription pills where you have the milligrams on the label. Pills are bad enough, but with (pills) you know what you are getting yourself into,” Baker said.
The chief reminded that drugs are all around the area, not just in Farmington and the high school. There has been information that drugs are coming from St. Louis. He said he doesn’t believe it’s any worse than any other time. The drugs are a social problem like alcohol.
A task force of local municipalities and highway patrol officers has been set up and are speaking, talking and doing what they can publicly to combat drug abuse. Baker is working to line up a drug task force officer to speak with teachers in the Farmington School District during the upcoming professional development training.
The chief added that people ask him what the police are doing to help the teen drug situation? He said it begins with the parents. They need to be more concerned, know who their kids are with, and what they are doing at all times. They need to be talking to them and looking for things ... it’s not just the police officers job. He reasons that everyone needs to do their part because it’s a joint effort.
Interim Superintendent Jerome Watson says the school district is hoping to make the tragedies into a positive thing — at least to some degree. During the November professional development meeting for teachers within the district, administrators are hoping to provide training for the staff to review and help refresh everyone on recognizing the signs of drug use.
Watson said rumors have been flying about increased drugs in the school lately, but that he wasn’t going to comment on the rumors. He said to his knowledge their is no truth to them at this time.
Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker said the toxicology screenings are not back from any of the recent deaths, or near deaths, in the community or surrounding area that are believed to be drug related. However, he did say there have been some eye witness accounts, and one is said to have involved heroine.
A local woman overdosed but she was taken to the hospital and treated and survived. A witness later said she had a drug problem, and it involved heroine. Baker added that without the toxicology reports they have no way of knowing right now whether or not the recent deaths involved heroine.
The chief added that an officer in the Narcotics Division of the police department has commented there have been a handful of cases recently. Baker added that there has not been a large heroine problem in the area for years, and that one or two cases within a short period of time is an “increase”.
“Rumors are all over. I don’t know why people do it. You don’t know how pure it is and how much you are getting when you buy it. If you take too much it can kill you. It’s not like prescription pills where you have the milligrams on the label. Pills are bad enough, but with (pills) you know what you are getting yourself into,” Baker said.
The chief reminded that drugs are all around the area, not just in Farmington and the high school. There has been information that drugs are coming from St. Louis. He said he doesn’t believe it’s any worse than any other time. The drugs are a social problem like alcohol.
A task force of local municipalities and highway patrol officers has been set up and are speaking, talking and doing what they can publicly to combat drug abuse. Baker is working to line up a drug task force officer to speak with teachers in the Farmington School District during the upcoming professional development training.
The chief added that people ask him what the police are doing to help the teen drug situation? He said it begins with the parents. They need to be more concerned, know who their kids are with, and what they are doing at all times. They need to be talking to them and looking for things ... it’s not just the police officers job. He reasons that everyone needs to do their part because it’s a joint effort.
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Article Comments (2)The comments below are from readers and do not represent the views of the Daily Journal.
januaryfarm posted at Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
That would be heroin....
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Common Sense posted at Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 8:13 am
I wish Mr. Watson the best of luck. This is an issue that has been ignored too long in the high school.
For way too many years administrators and the school board have had their heads in the sand on this issue and many others.
Other area high schools should be doing the same thing.
For way too many years administrators and the school board have had their heads in the sand on this issue and many others.
Other area high schools should be doing the same thing.
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