THC vape incidents rise in Roane County High School

ROANE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Leaders in Roane County Schools said they’re seeing an increase in THC vape incidents at Roane County High School, including cases serious enough to require an ambulance.

Roane County High School Principal Jennifer Hunt said the school has seen more students suspected of being under the influence.

“It was scary.” ”[It is] not something that I had experienced before,” Hunt said.

Her concern, she said, is that a student could become ill in a place where staff might not immediately see it.

“My concern is … if they ‘green out’ … in the restroom … a teacher is not going to notice that … that’s a concern,” Hunt said.

Roane County Schools Superintendent Michelle Stellato said the rise in incidents and the district’s changing campus needs prompted leaders to propose a new position focused on safety.

“This year it seems as though Roane County High School in particular has seen a rise in the use of THC vapes and a rise in the number of times that we’ve had to request ambulance presence,” Stellato said.

Stellato said the district proposed creating a “Coordinator of School Safety and Attendance” position.

“Knowing that next year 60% of our student population is going to be on this campus it seemed like the right time to address school safety,” Stellato said.

Stellato said the proposal was introduced at a school board meeting several weeks ago, then tabled before coming back for a vote. It ultimately failed in a 3–2 vote on April 2.

WSAZ’s Abbey Lord spoke with Daris Harper about why he voted against it.

He said, “We are under a State of Emergency with the West Virginia state school board due to financial concerns. Adding any positions that are not required at this time will only make the deficit greater. We eliminated staffing positions, voted to close two schools, and are only purchasing the essentials to keep the district operating. There hasn’t been a resource officer at the school for a while. The problem starts at home. Our job is to educate the children of Roane County.”

Still, Stellato said it would not increase general fund spending.

“It did not result in a rise … to the spending that comes from our general fund,” Stellato said.

Hunt said she was disappointed by the vote and believes an added safety presence could help deter incidents and provide another trusted adult for students.

“Just having the presence in itself, I feel, would really help … It’s also someone else that they can talk to … build a relationship with,” Hunt said.

District leaders said the proposal could only be reconsidered if a board member who voted against it makes a motion to reconsider. Otherwise, administrators said they will regroup and consider other options to address safety concerns.