With all signs indicating that President Joe Biden will run for reelection, he has apparently come to the conclusion that he must pay a first-ever visit to the wide-open southern border and feign some concern. And while the immediate impact of 5 million-plus illegal immigrants may not be felt right away by most Americans, the record levels of fentanyl flowing across the border is a whole other matter.
Fentanyl use is up all across America, as are overdoses of the highly dangerous drug — even in the classroom, as seen in November when an art teacher overdosed on fentanyl.
Frank Thompson, who teaches at Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield, overdosed in front of students while in the classroom. Students found the suburban New Jersey middle school teacher unconscious, according to the Westfield Police Department. When officers arrived, an unresponsive Thompson was being treated by a school nurse. One of the officers recognized the signs of an opioid overdose and administered Narcan, a potentially lifesaving nasal spray medication that can revive someone who has overdosed on opioids.
Thompson, 57, responded favorably after receiving the medication, and police said they discovered fentanyl and paraphernalia in a classroom closet during a subsequent investigation.
“The Westfield Police Department continues to prioritize its ongoing partnership with the Westfield Public School System to ensure it has the safety and security resources it needs on a daily basis,” Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro said in a press release. “In this case, the swift actions of Officer Riga, who is on-site at Roosevelt Intermediate each school day, proved instrumental in maintaining the safety of the students and administering potentially life-saving measures to Mr. Thompson.”
The teacher was arrested last week after being charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, endangering the welfare of children and a disorderly person offense — Thompson is reportedly scheduled to appear in court on Feb 1.
It’s unclear why there was such a delay in charging the teacher for an incident that happened two months ago.
The school district sent a letter to parents assuring them that the classroom was sealed off and then sanitized, Fox 5 reported.
“While the Westfield Public School District cannot comment on personnel matters which are confidential, we will maintain a continued focus on student and staff safety and on preserving the integrity of the classroom learning environment,” Superintendent Dr. Raymond González said in the release. “We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Westfield Police Department.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.