USD 259 encourages parents to talk dangers of drugs after incidents at two schools

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Over the past three weeks, students at two Wichita middle schools have reportedly taken drugs. Now, the district is asking parents to talk with their kids about making good choices.

One way edibles and other drugs are getting into schools is from parents, according to USD 259 Director of Safety and Environmental Services, Terri Moses.

Despite marijuana being illegal in Kansas, Moses said if you do have it in your home, making sure your kids do not have access to it and talking about not taking it to school is important.

“Our schools are a part of our community, and drugs are in our community, so occasionally they do get into our school,” said Moses.

Moses said it’s concerning anytime a child gets ahold of drugs such as marijuana.

“It is a growing issue because, in most of the states surrounding Kansas, it is legal, so we are seeing more of it in the community,” said Moses.

The district teaches kids to make good choices in its health classes, and they are searching for a more advanced health curriculum to also focus on the dangers of fentanyl.

“We want to make sure our health curriculum is up to date to match current trends of what is going on,” said Moses.

Kids using drugs isn’t a new issue. The problem is growing.

“We are seeing kids that are younger and younger, even late elementary school, that are doing drugs,” said Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas Children’s Case Manager Adrianne Briscoe.

Briscoe said they screen children for anxiety, depression, drugs, and alcohol.

If they test positive for drugs or alcohol, they use kids’ interests to explain why it’s unsafe.

“If you are caught with drugs, you may not be able to play sports in high school or college and really just focusing on what kids want to do when they grow up and just understanding the consequences,” said Briscoe.

Briscoe said it is important to continue to conversation about drugs because peer pressure can be constant at school.

Wichita Public Schools also works with the Wichita Police Department in a program called L.E.A.D. – Law Enforcement Against Drugs.

It’s a pilot program that started last year and is in a couple of middle schools.

The district hopes to expand it into more schools in the future.