UPDATE: Clay school police find no link between food served in class, students testing positive for THC

Jacksonville, FL — After a week of investigation, the school district said the Clay County District Schools Police Department "could not establish a causal relationship between the food and the alleged illnesses" of Oakleaf Junior High School students whose parents said they tested positive for THC after eating food served during a class presentation on February 7.

QUICK FACTS: 

• The Clay County School District says investigators have not been able to confirm bread brought into a classroom was laced with THC and made children sick.
• Some parents told Action News Jax they are frustrated with the results of the investigation and want more accountability from the school.

“Not even the place that you send them where they’re supposed to be okay during the day is OK either,” parent Alysha Pierre said.

Pierre’s stepson was one of the 8th grade students that tested positive for THC. She showed the lab results to Action News Jax reporter Elizabeth Pace.

“It makes me angry because these big corporations have all these people, you have these people to back you, but who protects my children, that’s what I want to know,” Pierre said.

After hearing the conclusion of the investigation, some parents told Action News Jax they are frustrated and want accountability from the school.

“Just for someone to stand up and say, ‘You know what, something obviously happened and someone is going to take responsibility,’” Pierre said. “But to me it just seems like it’s not going to happen and I’m not surprised at it at all.”

The Clay County School District released the following statement on the investigation: 

"The Clay County District Schools Police Department learned that several students and a teacher at Oakleaf Junior High School claimed to be ill after consuming food during class on Friday, February 7, 2020. After more than a week of investigation, which included interviews and testing, the Police could not establish a causal relationship between the food and the alleged illnesses. This event has provided an opportunity for the District to review existing policies on food prepared outside of the cafeteria. As always, safety is the highest priority and the District will continue to search and identify ways to increase positive experiences for all students and staff."