Fifth-Grader Caught With Paraphernalia

A fifth-grader at Bryan Elementary became Coeur d’Alene’s youngest student Tuesday to be caught with drug paraphernalia at school, district officials said.

Bryan Elementary officials called the Kootenai County Drug Task Force Tuesday morning after they discovered what they believed to be drug paraphernalia in the youngster’s possession, said John House, school principal.

House would not specify what he found on the youth. However, he said other students saw the boy with the drug paraphernalia and then reported what they saw to a teacher. The teacher then reported it to school administration.

“To my knowledge, this is the first one that’s ever been found in possession at school at this young an age,” said Norm Mahoney, drug and alcohol education coordinator for the Coeur d’Alene School District.

Youths caught with drugs or drug paraphernalia are immediately suspended from school, House said. But he said school officials also try to help these students.

The school district will assist parents in setting up a free drug assessment with a local counselor who then can suggest appropriate treatment, Mahoney said.

Although the fifth-grader is the youngest student to be caught at school, Mahoney said the boy is not the youngest to ever try drugs.

, DataTimes