Plano ISD holds meeting to educate parents on dangers of fentanyl
PLANO (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Parents and teachers in Plano ISD pressed the school district and police Tuesday night with some hard questions about whether enough is being done to protect students from the dangers of fentanyl.
Among those raising concerns included the parents of a 16-year-old who died from a pill she took last month that she thought was a painkiller.
Health officials at the meeting called fentanyl a national emergency.
"My question is, how is Narcan distributed in the PISD school system?" said Stephanie Vaughn.
Stephanie and Ryan Vaughn were among the first to ask questions during Plano ISD's Facts about Fentanyl meeting.
"I wanted to know what they've done since she's passed, because we really weren't hearing anything from the school," she continued.
The parents of 16-year-old Sienna Vaughn, a Plano Senior High School cheerleader, continue to seek answers after their daughter died last month from taking a pill that she was told was the painkiller Percocet.
"We need to educate the kids," Stephanie Vaughn said. "They don't view prescription pills as drugs."
A panel of health experts and police warned that the threat fentanyl poses cannot be overstated.
"This is a national emergency," said Dr. Ronnie Pollard, a psychiatrist. "The City of Plano needs to educate their people."
At times during the meeting, parents and even teachers had questions that weren't easy to answer.
"I want to know how much we teachers can share about things that we see today, right now, today, tomorrow, when I go to school," one teacher asked during the meeting. "How much can I say to an eighth grader?"
Many of those who attended took home samples of Narcan, with hope that the meeting is the first step toward better communication between schools, police and parents.
"I think we don't have a lot of answers because I don't think there's a lot of structure in place for terrible events to happen, but I think it's a good starting point," said Plano ISD parent Melissa Pham.
The parents of Sienna Vaughn have meeting with school officials Wednesday – they want more aggressive action than meetings like this.
Other actions include an input session between members of the Plano ISD Superintendent Student Advisory Committee and the district's senior leadership team.
Along with the education and response efforts from Plano ISD, a letter was sent to families on March 15, offering more resources and information. Counseling services are also available on the district's website.
A virtual parent workshop is scheduled for March 23.
