A baggie containing a substance believed to be illegal drugs was found on the school grounds of Gordon Greenwood Elementary in Walnut Grove recently, but it was never turned in to the school’s principal or to police.
The school district didn’t send a letter home to parents because the situation is quite unusual, said Ken Hoff, spokesperson for the district.
The baggie containing a white substance was apparently disposed of before police could take it as evidence and test its contents to see what kind of illegal substance was inside, said Langley RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Holly Largy.
Langley police have gathered enough information to be confident that a baggie of drugs was found on school property nearly two weeks ago, despite the fact the evidence was never turned over to the detachment.
Hoff said district staff are aware of the situation, but have taken their guidance from police, as they always do in these situations.
“The school can’t report on things it hasn’t seen. We do take these types of things seriously. We are trying to (confirm) the validity of what happened, but it’s unusual that the baggie was apparently disposed of before being reported,” said Hoff.
If a student or parent finds drugs or drug paraphernalia on school grounds, they are advised not to pick it up, but to tell a school official or a school liaison officer, if there is one available.
“But ideally, these types of occurrences also need to be reported to police,” said Hoff.
A parent told the Times that he was concerned that no letter was sent home to parents, informing them that an incident had occurred.
He said he has always told his kids to pick up other people’s tossed wrappers and cups, etc., but now he will be enforcing the opposite.
“What if fentanyl is found?”
The School District said it continues its education around the dangers of picking up drug paraphernalia, including needles, if found on school grounds.
“Sadly, this is part of the world we live in now, it can happen anywhere, so we have ongoing conversations around safety,” Hoff said.
