Teen faces expulsion and felony for loaning girlfriend medicine

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/100...l_inhaler.html


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.
(Copyright © 2003, KTRK-TV)

Hey, Billy!

Unbelievable. What state?

There are some twists to this story. The school may DISLIKE THIS KID, and want
him out.

Or the School Board is incredibly stupid.

You can die, as the Mom says, very quickly too, from an asthma attack.
Especially in the autumn, which is a terrible season for pollens and mold.

Hope the SB is ready to pay out.

Billy sent in: And a FELONY, too?? ;-((




Subject: Teen faces expulsion and felony for loaning girlfriend medicine
From: "billy f"
Date: 10/9/2003 8:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/100...l_inhaler.html


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.
(Copyright © 2003, KTRK-TV)




http://www.familyrightsassociation.com Mom oughta contact them. Folks and
sites in each state.

And loaning one's inhaler to another individual is not only potentially dangerous
but is also illegal. If the child had died as a result of using the loaned
inhaler, would you be singing the same song?

Sharing prescribed medication is extremely dangerous, Fern. Surely you know
this. Stop this ridiculousness, please.

LaVonne

Fern5827 wrote:

Hey, Billy!

Unbelievable. What state?

There are some twists to this story. The school may DISLIKE THIS KID, and want
him out.

Or the School Board is incredibly stupid.

You can die, as the Mom says, very quickly too, from an asthma attack.
Especially in the autumn, which is a terrible season for pollens and mold.

Hope the SB is ready to pay out.

Billy sent in: And a FELONY, too?? ;-((

Subject: Teen faces expulsion and felony for loaning girlfriend medicine
From: "billy f"
Date: 10/9/2003 8:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/100...l_inhaler.html


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.
(Copyright © 2003, KTRK-TV)



http://www.familyrightsassociation.com Mom oughta contact them. Folks and
sites in each state.