The parent who contacted the mayor of Kamloops after his daughter brought a Naloxone kit home from school has come forward – telling a very different version of events than the school district and the Interior Health Authority.
“I think they’re just trying to cover their tails,” Jeremy Tilburt said, on NL Newsday, meaning RadioNL now has three versions of events that transpired.
The superintendent of SD73 says a few Naloxone kits were left on a back table and students “misunderstood” and took them home, adding that they’ve all been returned and the situation dealt with.
Interior Health says permission slips were sent home before the presentation on the opioid crisis.
Jeremy Tilburt says despite claims by the superintendent and health authority, neither is telling the full story.
“…saying that the kits were returned, which they were not. I have one sitting on my desk right now” he said, “That they were just there for display is also not true.”
Tilburt tells NL News there was no “misunderstanding” on the part of the students. He went on to say that his daughter told him there were enough kits for everyone who attended a presentation in the school library – and the public health nurse said anyone who wanted one could take one.
“The kits were readily available and there was enough for every child that was there,” Tilburt added.
“There was a letter that was sent out which I did not receive and in the letter it explains, because I have seen it now, that you know this presentation is going to happen and if you do not want your child to attend, sign the letter and if you don’t sign it, they’re going to be part of it.”
Tilburt claims the school principal told him he had advised the public health nurse not to bring the kits – but she did, and many students took one home after the presentation in the school library.
Additionally, he says before reaching out to City Hall and the mayor, he tried to contact SD73 superintendent Rhonda Nixon, and somebody from IHA and is yet to hear from either.
“Having you know, grade 10, 11, and 12 children running around with Naloxone kits and needles is not exactly safe in my eyes,” he said. “I understand saving a life and I’m okay with that but just having these things running around town without really knowing how to use them properly just doesn’t make sense to me.”
Tilburt explains when he emailed the mayor and council, he got a note back from councillor Dale Bass advising it wasn’t a city issue and recommending he speak with IHA or the school district.
He says the mayor then went to Sa-Hali Secondary in-person and spoke to the school principal who explained the situation.
Tilburt says he has no problem with his daughter getting instructions on overdose prevention, but adds they weren’t given much instruction on how to administer Naloxone, and the permission slip – wasn’t a permission slip.
It was an opt-out form that his daughter tells him she never received.