Teen Faces Expulsion and Felony For Loaning Girlfriend Medicine

KTRK ABC-13 ^ | 10-8-03 | Chris Adams

[dogbyte12]

ABC13 Eyewitness News
(10/08/03 - CONROE) — There's controversy over a school's zero tolerance drug policy. Some say it's gone too far. A 15-year-old faces expulsion after giving an inhaler to his girlfriend during an asthma attack that happened at school

Boyfriend and girlfriend, 15-year-olds Brandon Kizi and Andra Ferguson are both asthma sufferers and both students at Caney Creek High School. At least, they were, until Andra began suffering an asthma attack at school.

"I couldn't breathe, and I was just very short of breath," recalled Andra. "My chest was tightened up and it was hurting."

Brandon described the incident. "Her face was turning a little reddish-pink and she looked pale, as far as I could see. I loaned her my inhaler. I walked her to the nurse's office and loaned her my inhaler."

That's when the trouble started. The school nurse called the school police, who arrested Brandon. They charged him with a felony, namely distributing a dangerous drug for loaning out his prescription inhaler. Andra's mother thinks that's wrong.

"His (inhaler) is the very same thing. And he has had my permission to give her that medication any time she forgets it," said Sandra Ferguson.

But school officials say that Brandon had been warned about loaning his inhaler, and that new state laws mean their hands are tied when it comes to zero tolerance and drugs.

Principal Greg Poole told Eyewitness News, "It's hard, it's difficult. We certainly don't look forward to expelling any kid. But then you have to consider a kid takes the medication and has an allergic reaction, and then we have to deal with that issue. So, yes, there is no discretion at this stage."

Brandon now faces mandatory expulsion from school and criminal charges in juvenile court. His mother is outraged.

Theresa Hock said, "It's so unfair. My son was helping her out. And now he's facing criminal charges. Would they rather have had her die than my son to help her?"

Brandon has a hearing on Friday to determine how long he'll be expelled for. In addition, he still has to go to juvenile court to deal with that felony charge.

[jjm2111]

You forgot the </sarcasm>

[F.J. Mitchell]

The war on drugs has turned into a war on sanity.

[Orangedog]

You feeling ok tonight, Pardek, or did you forget the sarcasm tag?

[jjm2111]

Principal Greg Poole told Eyewitness News, "It's hard, it's difficult. We certainly don't look forward to expelling any kid. But then you have to consider a kid takes the medication and has an allergic reaction, and then we have to deal with that issue. So, yes, there is no discretion at this stage."

Translation: I'm a p*ssy.

[F.J. Mitchell]

"I wonder what other junk these filthy runts are inhaling..."

The worst thing they are inhaling is the exhaled breath of those ate up with the dumb @$$ aleged to be educators. Let's just hope it isn't contageous.

[fourdeuce82d]

I wonder what other junk these filthy runts were inhaling...

Given that I've misposted myself, on multiple occaisions, and have wound up looking foolish, if not demented... was there a "/sarcasm" tag missing?

rgds,
4.2"

[F.J. Mitchell]

I think the Senator assumed the tag was not neccessary in this instance.

[Adrastus]

Been watching this all day. I'm impressed that this is the logical extension of having "lawed" ourselves into a corner. The greatest beneficiaries to this kind of crap are our public shhool administrators who are now relieved by legislation from thinking either logically or with any degree of wisdom. They only have to stand there with mouths agape and mumble. It's perfectly safe but unfortunately contagious.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Better the kid die than have an allergic reaction to borrowed medication. How can our normal children gain anything useful from being tutored by idiots all day?

[Mulder]

Unbelievable.

This country is screwed.

Oh well. At least it was nice for awhile. I pity those kids that will grow up in a country that sucks.

[cwb]

This is what lawyers have done to this country. It's unfortunate, but schools now have to have their own legal department for risk assessment. As the principal said, it would only take an adverse reaction and the school ends up in court. Stupid, yes...unfortunately it's the reality of our letigous society. I think it's time to take Shakespear up on his call to arms:)

[ridesthemiles]

And I checked, asthma inhalers are not against any law I know of.

They are considered "drugs" by almost all school systems.

This is really sad, since he knew the girl, and knew her problem and that they both used the same medicine.

Girls cannot carry pamperin for cramps, etc, either.
The "no drugs" policy has gone way over tilt. IMO.

[sunryse]

Zero tolerance = zero common sense.

Michelle

[sunryse]

Zero tolerance = zero common sense.

Michelle

[Born Conservative]

You obviously have no idea what Albuterol is, and probably have never experienced asthma. Albuterol is a very safe but effective drug. If a kid were to take it without needing it, he would get an increased heart rate and possibly tremors that lasts an hour or two. It's definitely non-addictive, and does not alter consciousness. Therefore, I can't forsee there being a black market for Albuterol.

For those who DO need it, it is life-saving medication. It will open up the bronchial airways that tighten up during an asthma attack. If an asthmatic were to not take Albuterol during an acute episode, they could possibly have their airways close off, leading to respiratory failure, full cardiac arrest, and then death. Instead of looking at everything as black and white, I think that there are times when common sense should be introduced into the equation. The boy who loaned the med should be COMMENDED, not punished, because he potentially saved her life. Doesn't that count for anything?

[goldstategop]

Agreed. Why would "asthma inhalers" be placed in the same category as proscribed drugs? Presumably if its over the counter or prescription medicine, no intelligent person would have a problem. Zero tolerance is simply a facile slogan bureaucrats have invented so they don't have to make sound decisions.

[goldstategop]

If you try to save a girlfriend, you are in a heap of trouble. Never mind if she considers what you did sweet. See, the law is the law...

[Snake65]

"Her face was turning a little reddish-pink and she looked pale, as far as I could see. I loaned her my inhaler."

I hope Brandon takes whatever they throw at him with head held high. He did the right thing. It was his girlfriend; both knew an asthma attack was in progress; Albuterol is a lifesaver in a situation like that. QED.

[Wilhelm Tell]

I pity those kids that will grow up in a country that sucks.

This is just plain evil. Some profoundly evil people are setting up an evil system that is enabled by stupid or lazy people who just want to "follow orders." This has happened before. The problem is that there is no Hitler that freedom-loving people can eliminate -- now we have hundreds of thousands of little Hitlers everywhere among us.

[ThinkDifferent]

"Would they rather have had her die than my son to help her?"

Yes, they would. Absolutely incredible. Every day I am more grateful that I graduated high school just before this colossal idiocy started.