Kindergarten student brings crack pipe into class
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Kindergarten student brings crack pipe into class

Date: September 20, 2011
By: Alex Goldman and Jessi Turnure
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Missouri draws nationwide attention after a kindergarten student brings his mother's crack pipe and drugs to school.
RunTime:  0:43
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: At Sweet Springs Elementary school in western Missouri, one kindergarten boy decided to bring in his mother's crack pipe and drugs as opposed a picture for a day of "show and tell."

Sweet Springs Chief of Police, Richard Downing, says he has never seen anything quite like this in an elementary school.

Actuality:  DOWNING1.WAV
Run Time:  00:05
Description: "I've been doing this for all my career, and I have never had a show and tell. Not like this."

The Sweet Springs school district superintendent, Donna Wright, also says she has never experienced anything like this incident in her 9 years in the position. She says her main concern is the safety of the child.

The boy's mother is being charged with child endangerment and drug possession.

Reporting from the capitol building, I'm Alex Goldman.

Intro: 
If you smoke crack, it would be smart not to let your children take it to school with them.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A kindergarten student brought his mother's crack pipe and drugs to school in response to his teacher's request for the students to bring in a picture from home.

Sweet Springs school district superintendent, Donna Wright, says that her number one concern is the safety of the boy who brought the pipe to school.

Actuality:  WRIGHT1.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "We have to try to protect the identity of the student, which is very difficult in a small community like this. And number two, my concern was protecting this child. I wanted this child safe."
The boy's mother is being charged with child endangerment and drug possession. She is due in court September 28th and could face up to 7 years in Missouri's Department of Corrections.
 
 
Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Alex Goldman.

Intro: 
A kindergarten boy brings his mother's crack pipe and a large quantity of methamphetamine to school, drawing national attention.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A kindergarten student at Sweet Springs Elementary School in Missouri brought his mother's crack pipe and drugs to school when asked to bring in a picture from home.

The district's superintendent, Donna Wright, worries that the rest of the country will make harsh judgments about the town based on the incident.

Actuality:  WRIGHT2.WAV
Run Time:  00:10
Description: "As far as, you know, people outside of this community, I think, you know, this is giving a lot of people the wrong perception of Sweet Springs, Missouri. As I said earlier, this is something that doesn't happen here."

Sweet Springs Chief of Police, Richard Downing, says he has never dealt with anything quite like this before.

The boy's mother is being charged with child endangerment and drug possession.

Reporting from the capitol building, I'm Alex Goldman.