Mom on Leesville Road High drug use: `It'll take a miracle to turn this school around'

Elaina Athans Image
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Drug concerns on rise at Leesville Road High
Parents are sounding the alarm about a growing drug problem at Leesville Road High School.

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- A Wake County mom is on a crusade to save her child and others. Tina Stevens said drug use has become a big problem at Leesville Road High School.

"I can't tell you the struggles that I've had to keep my child alive after going to this school," she said with tears forming in her eyes.

Her daughter was able to buy prescription drugs from a dealer inside the school. The girl took two Xanax while in class and ended up blacking out.

Stevens had to rush her to the hospital.

Stevens is on a crusade to save her child and others.

She posted a warning on the Next Door App and it has been shared hundreds of times.

One dad responded and opened up a painful wound. His son, who also went to Leesville Road High School, overdosed this past December.

The dad wrote, "Taking those pills is a decision each person makes."

"It's going to take God and a miracle to turn this school around," Stevens said.

The Raleigh Police Department does have an SRO stationed at the school and it said drug use is a problem at every high school.

ABC11 has learned, however, that just a few weeks ago, there was a special meeting addressing the problem.

A representative came in from SADD, which stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions.

The District said in a statement:

"The Wake County Public School System continues to provide resources and programming to schools to empower students to make good choices."

Stevens is urging the district to take further action and start bringing in a drug-detecting dog.

"The drugs need to be removed from campus. Why can't the canine come in every single day if that's what it needs to take for these kids?" Stevens asked.

Her daughter has been in rehab several times. Stevens said they are both taking things day-by-day.