BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo Public Schools teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave after two students at PS 79 were inadvertently given THC edibles, according to school officials and a police report obtained by 7 News.
The incident happened earlier this month at the William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence on Lawn Avenue. In a statement, the district said the teacher accidentally gave the students edible gummies, mistaking them for regular candy.
According to a Buffalo Police report, the teacher picked up what appeared to be a package of Sour Patch Kids and unknowingly offered it to two students during a swim class. One of the students later reported feeling sick.
Police say the packaging looked similar to real candy, but a small label on the package indicated it contained 500 milligrams of THC.
Both students were taken to a hospital for evaluation. Their parents, along with Buffalo Police, were notified immediately. The teacher told officers he did not know the gummies were infused with THC but admitted to offering them to the students.
The district placed the teacher on paid administrative leave the same day and said it is taking the situation “extremely seriously.”
BPS provided the following statement:
The district is committed to protecting the health and well-being of its students. Please be advised that this was an isolated incident. On April 1, a teacher at PS 79 inadvertently gave two students edible gummies. Both students were sent to a local hospital for evaluation. The parents of the two affected students were immediately notified along with the Buffalo Police. The district placed the teacher on paid administrative leave the same day as the incident. Confidentiality prohibits the district from sharing additional information, but please be assured that the incident was taken extremely seriously and was responded to swiftly.
The district is also reminding students that they may only eat snacks during lunch and are not permitted to share for health and safety reasons.
7 News spoke with the family of one of the students who consumed the gummies.
11-year-old JaiAire Richardson said he was scared when it happened.
"I was like, the scaredest kid in the world. And like, I didn't want to, like, take anything from no one again," he said.
His parents Tia Leak and Melvin Miles are now fighting for justice.
"We had a lot of questions and concerns. Where did it come from? That was our main thing. How did he get a hold of these edibles?" Miles asked.
Miles added his son was sick when this happened and his heart was racing when he was sent to the hospital for an evaluation.
"We look for our children to be protected going to school. You know, not something like this to happen is so sad, and we don't want it to happen to no other kids," Teak said.
