Youngkin issues executive order after unprecedented series of fentanyl-related overdoses at Northern Va. school
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order Wednesday aimed at bolstering the response to school-related drug overdoses, after at least eight opioid-related overdoses were reported last month at a high school in Loudoun County.
The order directs the Virginia Department of Education to issue guidance to school divisions to notify all parents of school-connected overdoses within 24 hours, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
Youngkin said Loudoun County Public Schools reportedly waited more than 20 days to notify parents of the overdoses.
“Parents have a right to know what’s going on in their child’s lives, especially in schools. Overdoses that occur on school grounds or are connected to the school must lead to an immediate parental notification,” Youngkin said. “School administrators’ first instinct when there is a problem cannot be to delay relevant information on critical children’s health and safety matters.”
The governor’s order also calls for school divisions to work closely with law enforcement to prevent overdoses and bolster student education about the dangers of abusing drugs.
“Opioid overdoses have claimed the lives of far too many Virginians, devastating families and communities across the Commonwealth and we must continue to combat opioid abuse and overdoses with action and transparency,” Youngkin said.
A series of eight overdoses over three weeks at Park View High School in Sterling prompted the order. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said “four of the overdoses occurred in the school, and of these, three required the administration of Narcan, and two of those required CPR by school personnel.”
All of the overdoses can be connected to fentanyl, often found in the form of a fake “Perc-30” oxycodone pill that is blue, circular and may be stamped with “M30.”
As the county sheriff’s office investigates Park View’s cases, it said it will be assigning additional resources around the school to help identify the source of the drugs.
WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.