Fulton County Schools reported that some students sickened after eating Valentine's Day treats last week "exhibited behavior indicative of drug intoxication."
The district on Tuesday released its police department’s initial incident report, which The Atlanta Journal-Constitution requested last week though the state’s open records laws.
The GBI said that it received materialsTuesday afternoon from the district to test. Fulton school officials said that the state agency will run toxicology tests related to the drug suspicion.
Twenty eight students at Sandtown Middle School were taken to the hospital on Thursday after eating food the district said had been brought to school. By Monday, all of the students had been released from the hospital.
The school district has not identified the sickened students because of privacy concerns. The AJC has attempted to contact parents of children who fell ill but has not been able to get comment.
Fulton school police reported that students ate heart-shaped lollipops and Rice Krispy treats, among other snacks. Symptoms reported by students included hallucinations, disorientation and watery red eyes. The report noted students “frantically crying off and on.”
“They couldn’t tell me where they were at the time nor could they explain what had happened to them,” the police report stated.
“We want to be very clear that Fulton County Schools will follow through to the full extent of the law as well as with the most severe consequences allowed under our Student Disciplinary Code of Conduct should the investigation indicate foul play,” the district said in a Tuesday statement. “Given the suspicions and the resulting conversation in the community about edibles – or food/candy containing drugs – the school system is preparing a campaign that educates students on the dangers of taking or eating foods that come from an unknown source.”
Several Fulton County parents said they are concerned about the district’s response after the incident and said officials didn’t do enough to communicate clearly and quickly.
“I think the community is extremely upset about it,” said
Willie G. Davis Jr., who has an eighth grader at Sandtown who did not get sick.
Some parents expressed their concerns at a Tuesday evening community meeting featuring school board President Linda Bryant.
Check back for more updates.
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