BRHS Principal Responds To Substance Abuse Letters

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Numerous heartfelt letters about substance abuse in the area were submitted to Bridgewater-Raritan High School Principal Mark Morrell recently.

The letters were written by students and parents of students who talk about their personal experiences with the ongoing drug issue in the high school. Such as a letter by parents Jack and Nora Luftman lost their 18-year-old daughter Hannah to a heroin overdose in October 2013. (See Related: Bridgewater Parents Share Story Of Daughter's Heroin Overdose)

This initiative was spearheaded by a group of Bridgewater residents called "Bridgewater Residents Stopping Drugs," to stop drug usage in their schools. (See Related: Bridgewater Locals Form Group To Stop Drugs In Schools)

The group was formed in December on Facebook and already has more than 500 members.

The spur to take action came after Hillsborough Funeral Director Mike Reilly's speech to the Hillsborough Board of Education became viral. Reilly said he wanted "parents to take their heads out of the sand" and doesn't want anymore business from overdose drug victims.

• See Reilly's speech here - Hillsborough Funeral Director Is Tired Of Burying Drug Victims

The letters collected by BRSD were submitted to Morrell. He recently responded with this letter:

I want to express my sincere appreciation to you and individuals who took the time to submit letters regarding substance abuse and BRHS. I greatly appreciate how difficult it was to write many of those letters. Hopefully, our school and community can continue to find ways to discourage such use and provide more effective treatment for those afflicted.

I also appreciate people coming forward to discuss such a difficult, personal, and emotional topic. It takes guts. I hope that this may spur more parents and students to be more forthcoming with information which will improve our school and community safety.

Please pass my thanks to those who took time to write.

Thank you for all of your efforts.

Mark

Mark Morrell, Ph.D.
Principal
Bridgewater-Raritan High School

(Image via Shutterstock / Gajus)

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