The opioid epidemic has wreaked havoc in my classroom

I teach high school. I have been teaching for 2 decades. I have never seen anything like this. <br><br>This time last year, I was frustrated with the amount of kids high in my class. Now, that stress is nothing in comparison to the amount of kids in my class that have not made it to see this time. <br><br>Last spring, a kid in my class died on a Friday. I found out that Sunday. On Tuesday, the father of another kid in my class died. He had overdosed the day before. <br><br>That was in spring. In the fall, a kid in my class was “rescued” by Narcan in the parking lot. On the same night (about an hour later), a kid in the same grade as the first was found unresponsive. It was too late. <br><br>Last week, a new student transferred to our school. Apparently a freshman at another school had overdosed and died, and the family moved to get away from “those people”. <br><br>Last night, I heard that a kid from our school died. I didn’t know if it was a kid I taught. I still don’t know if it’s a kid I taught. It is the 3rd kid in my school to die that I know of. All in under a year. <br><br>I am so sad for the kids that have died, for those who are addicted, for the families affected. Every day, I hear rumors about other kids. I worry. <br><br>But I am also so angry. I am angry that we do not have any real drug education in our school. I’m angry that Narcan doesn’t seem to help. I’m angry that our school administration doesn’t seem to acknowledge the situation. I’m angry that our board of education refuses to do anything. I’m angry that our state and national government do not really seem to care. <br><br>Mostly, I am angry. All of these kids were “good kids”. All were of the college track. 3 are dead, and countless others are “out there” somewhere.