By Anne Kehl, Managing Editor
The pending lawsuit against VISD has been a popular talking point in the high school since the news first broke. Everyone was surprised again in February when Principal Danny Rock launched a countersuit against the plaintiffs of the original lawsuit, requesting a public apology.
Rock recently dropped the countersuit after his name was taken off the original lawsuit against the school district.
In a public statement, Rock explained:
“Now that I have been dismissed from the Plaintiffs’ $40 million lawsuit, it is no longer in my family’s interest to litigate a high-profile counterclaim involving the prescription practices of Vashon Natural Medicine. These issues are now best addressed by state medical authorities.
“As the lawsuit against the district continues, I will participate as required and necessary to demonstrate my innocence related to the allegations against me.”
Wright and her lawyer declined to comment.
Rock was referring to Wright’s prescription of generic Xanax (for anxiety) and Lexapro (for depression) to an anonymous student KH, who is the second-named plaintiff on the original lawsuit.
Rock disagreed with the lack of information about Xanax provided to this student, and the fact that their parents weren’t notified.
To be clear, Xanax is a schedule IV drug, and — according to the Washington Department of Health — Kelly Wright, who is a licensed N.D., is legally allowed to prescribe schedule III-IV drugs.
In Washington, parents are not required to provide consent or even be notified when their child is prescribed any medication if they are above the age of 15.
This depends solely on the validity of Wright’s DEA registration — a federal requirement for prescribing any kind of prescription drug to a patient — which the Riptide has been unable to verify (and Dr. Wright has declined to provide).
Ultimately, Rock’s claims brought attention to the potential problems in the prescription practices of Vashon Natural Medicine.
Dr. Wright’s original lawsuit, however, remains standing.