Teacher Drug Incidents Are Isolated, Says Quintana Roo Education Official

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Incidents involving teachers accused of encouraging drug use among students are isolated and rare, according to a state education official, contradicting widespread reports on social media.

Luis Alberto Tun Calderón, subsecretary of education for northern Quintana Roo, said Thursday that the state Education Department (SEQ) has registered only two such cases. One occurred in March in Playa del Carmen, where four middle school girls were hospitalized after their teacher gave them drug-laced gummy candies.

In both cases, the SEQ has activated its response protocols, while the State Prosecutor’s Office conducts its own investigations, Tun Calderón said.

“We don’t want to release too many details because we don’t want to interfere with the actions being taken by municipal and state agencies,” he added.

Tun Calderón said many reports circulating on social media are false, but the SEQ has nevertheless activated its attention protocols.

The official used the occasion to call on parents to pay closer attention to their children, noting that drug use among students must also be addressed by families.

“Always be aware of your children, hug them, take care of them, give them lots of love. That goes a long way toward building the trust they need to tell you what’s happening, because these issues don’t only occur on school grounds — they also happen at home and on the street,” he said.