An Arlington mother questions how drugs are making their way into schools

Concerns over young children doing drugs at school

Across the D.C. region, there's concern about how and why young children are doing drugs at school. FOX 5's Sierra Fox reports from Arlington after speaking with a parent who is experiencing this first-hand.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The opioid epidemic continues to plague the country as public health officials, doctors, social workers, and community advocates take on the challenge to prevent overdoses.

The latest concern is how drugs are making their way inside schools.

An Arlington mother, who wants to remain anonymous, told FOX 5 in Spanish that her 13-year-old daughter has overdosed twice. The incidents didn't happen on school grounds, but the concerned parent believes her daughter got high at school.

The mother is frustrated because she said her daughter got into drugs after being bullied. The bullying caused her to struggle with depression.

"They’re selling Percocet with fentanyl, marijuana, tobacco – everything. You can say it’s a store. They put alcohol inside the water bottles and no one controls it," the mother said.

So far this year, Arlington police said there have been seven calls to schools for reports of overdoses. In 2021, that number was six and in 2020 there were two incidents.

Police also shared there have been two overdose cases involving juveniles tied to a school address this year. FOX 5 did check in with other school districts and police departments in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. because there have been reports of overdoses happening, but specific information wasn’t readily available in regard to cases involving minors.

Elder Julio Basurto, the founder of the Arlington advocacy group Juntos en Justicia, told FOX 5 parents have told him this is all happening in school bathrooms where there’s not much security to keep an eye on what kids are doing. Students are getting their hands on a variety of drugs, but most recently blue pills — that they crush onto aluminum foil and smoke — are the preferred option. Sometimes, they’re laced with fentanyl.

Officials in Virginia work to combat teenage overdoses

Federal and local officials are coming together with school officials in Fairfax County to help prevent teenage opioid related overdoses. FOX 5's Sierra Fox reports.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning parents that people are selling drugs on social media apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and even Tiktok. Parents say their kids are also getting their hands on dangerous drugs after school.

"What parents are reporting to us is that there are older men that are coming to 7/11s near schools, picking up kids, and distributing drugs to them, and then they operate within the schools," Basurto said. "I'm very worried about what the bigger situation is here."

You may be wondering how you can tell if your child is doing drugs. Well, symptoms could include red eyes and extreme changes in mood. For example, being super happy one moment then seeming down and confused. As a reminder from authorities, people should never take drugs not prescribed by their doctor.