Board of Education approves school-connected overdose notification guidelines after removing disputed Loudoun-specific language

The Virginia Board of Education approved model guidance on school-connected overdose policy, response and parental notification after members voted 4–2 to delete four disputed sentences that referenced a Loudoun County incident.

The vote followed extended discussion about whether the guidance should single out a local division for facts that some officials say are in dispute. The board approved the final guidance on a motion to waive first review and adopt the item with the contested language removed.

Board member Miss Holton said the department had “done a terrific job bringing folks together,” but urged deleting three sentences in the guidance introduction that named Loudoun County and described the number, timing and location of related overdoses. “It’s highly inappropriate to include this kind of specific language in guidelines,” she said, arguing the…