School district clarifies candy punishment

STAFF REPORT

Officials with Clovis Municipal Schools have released a statement regarding the recent 12-day suspension of three students accused of snorting Smarties candies.

“No student involved in the Smarties incident has a drug possession on their student record,” Superintendent Jody Balch said in a statement. No other comment was offered.

A trio of students at Marshall Middle School were suspended, and told they had violated the school’s drug use policy by crushing the candies into powder form to snort. The students and their parents contended they were merely blowing the powder at each other.

The candies have no narcotic properties, but snorting the powder can lead to asthma attacks or long-term breathing issues, medical experts have said.