10 years old, and possibly a felon.

KFDX TV, Wichita Falls TX ^ | 03/27/02 | KFDX TV

[Philip_the_evangelist]

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DRUG ARREST

Drugs in schools, and now, what's next? A ten year old Alamo student is arrested for bringing a dangerous drug to school and now is being investigated for distribution of that drug. She will be charged for having a dangerous drug, Arbuterol, in a drug free zone, which is a Class A misdemeanor. And now police are looking into charging her with distribution of the drug which is a felony. And she could soon be attending a different school with other students who have committed felonies.

Today seemed like any other day at Alamo elementary. But yesterday a ten year old girl was arrested for possessing a quote dangerous drug on school grounds. "What she had was the little unit dose of Albuterol mixed with normal saline and that goes in nebulized treatment. It's inhaled just like the inhaler and she was giving it out to other children and that was the problem."

And while Horn says some students are allowed to have inhalers, district policy prohibits any student from possessing this type medication. Approved prescription drugs can only be administered by the school nurse. "Children are not allowed to bring their own medications to school, either prescription or over the counter medications, a parent or at least an adult over 18 is supposed to bring all their medications to school."

Police are still investigating where she got the Arbuterol. And the girl, whose name is not being released due to her age, could now face felony charges because she was in a drug free zone handing out the medication. And she could eventually be attending Holland Alternative School. "If they commit a felony and it's not at a school or a school function, then they come to us."

Wyatt also says students who commit felonies on school grounds eventually end up in Holland after spending time at the juvenile justice center, if they're ten or older. "Once they come in here, we're very structured and its very quiet and really you're bored to tears if you're not working on your academics."

Which is just one way Wyatt and his staff try to keep their students from becoming repeat offenders.

Once again, police are still investigating where the girl got the drug. We were unable to find out if the girl had a prescription for the drug. Sergeant Bill Hennings says she is facing additional charges.

[Philip_the_evangelist]

It appears our local rag won't touch this story.

[dead]

Maybe if we just cut off one of her hands, she'll learn to respect the rules.

We are an enlightened nation after all.

[TxBec]

ping

[p-andrews]

They have the name of the drug wrong. It is ALBUTEROL and not Arbuterol.

[the]

Great article about inhalers, schools, nurses and death over on Reason.com.

Asthma Attack: When "zero tolerance" collides with children’s health.

By Catherine Seipp

[Philip_the_evangelist]

We are an enlightened nation after all.

We're enlighted alright, lightened from the burden of IQ points.

[Irene Adler]

"...she was giving it out to other children and that was the problem."

I would say a student giving a prescription med out to other children, if it's true, certainly would be a problem.

[dead]

I would say a student giving a prescription med out to other children, if it's true, certainly would be a problem.

Yes it is, like it would be if she were handing out matches.

What it should not be is a felony. She’s 10 years old and her friends were probably just curious about her inhaler.

The school nurse should give her a stern talking to.

[aruanan]

Interesting if a 10-year-old was prescribed it:

Not FDA approved for children under 12 years of age. May precipitate angina pectoris and dysthythmias. Should be used with caution in patients with diabetes, hyperthyroidism, prostatic hypertrophy or seizure disorder.

[aruanan]

Yeah, Arbuterol is a non-prescription herbal diuretic.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

I would say a student giving a prescription med out to other children, if it's true, certainly would be a problem.

True, but I wouldn't exactly call Albuterol dangerous.  Also, it quite often comes in these neat and nifty small bottles.

Personally, considering what I have heard here, I would say that the punishment is a wee bit drastic.  Simply chewing the kid out would have been far more productive.

[thepitts]

OFF WITH HER HEAD!

[Philip_the_evangelist]

if it's true, certainly would be a problem.

Do you think charging her with a felony is the appropriate response?

[Dimensio]

Simply chewing the kid out would have been far more productive.

But that would have required thought regarding her actions. "Zero Tolerance" rules were made to eliminate thought from the schools, since it clearly doesn't belong there.

[Rustynailww]

sieze her parents property.

[BrooklynGOP]

Lock her up and throw away the key.

[LibertyGirl77]

I took it from age 10 to 18.

[realpatriot71]

Lock her up and throw away the key.

I agree! We need to lower the age that one can be tried as an adult to 10 years old! She needs to spend at least 20 years in the Federal Pen! She'e obviously a dangerous felon!

[Philip_the_evangelist]

Not FDA approved for children under 12 years of age.

I too would like the rest of the story. However, it's not what she did that concerns me, it's the school and police response to it. There are much more appropriate ways of responding to her actions.

[goodnesswins]

There ARE more appropriate ways of responding, BUT the public skools will not appropriately respond. That's the problem. They won't CHEW out this little girl, and also the other girls who took a pull on her inhaler. That would HURT their self esteem. (And, it would require kahonies, which no public skool official has.) No, book 'em like criminals so the police can be the fall guys. Sheesh.