School officials 'reassess' students' punishment for nasal spray

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County school officials are reassessing the punishment of two students suspended for using a prescription allergy spray.

Channel 2 Action News has learned the students were suspended for breaking the drug policy, but it was allergy nasal spray that got them in trouble.

The two fifth-grade students from Sycamore Elementary School were sent home with four-day suspensions.

Their parents said it was a simple mistake, and the punishment is over the top.

"I was shocked that they didn't call me earlier and I was shocked that they jumped to that conclusion," said mother Tanthia Reid.

She said it was Friday afternoon when her daughter, who suffers from allergies, took eye drops and what turned out to be prescription nasal spray to school.

Her daughter said it was given to her by her best friend, who had brought the allergy drugs from home.

A teacher found the girls with the medicine during recess and determined that it had not been prescribed to either of them.

"I don't think that either her or her best friend distinguished that this is a prescription drug. She's only 10," Reid said.

A representative with Gwinnett County Public Schools responded to emails from Channel 2 on Sunday.

They wrote that if a student needs a prescription drug during school, they need to arrange for it to be given through the school clinic.

They also wrote that students should not give their prescriptions to other students.

"She didn't look at Nasonex as an illegal drug to have in school," said the other girl's mother, Marita Ballard-Murphy.

Ballard-Murphy said it was her prescription that her daughter brought to school.

She doesn't dispute that the girls broke the rules, but said the punishment given to her daughter, who had perfect attendance, and the Reid's daughter who is an A and B students, is excessive.

"We believe there should be consequences, but weigh everything is all that we're asking," Ballard-Murphy said.

"Send a message but not to this extreme," Reid added.

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