Parkway Principal Warns of Danger In Trend Among Middle School Students

Kim Brandon, principal of Parkway District's Northeast Middle School posted an alert on the school's website, warning students off a trendy "choking game" and describing how it isn't a game whatsoever. She asked parents to address it immediately with their kids.

Other middle schools may be grappling with the potentially fatal behavior, however it was not clear Sunday night in the Parkway District.

Following is the principal's warning:

Mrs. Brandon's Weekly Letter

Recently, it was brought to our attention that some students at Northeast had been playing the “choking game.”

If you haven’t heard of this game, there are two things you need to know about it:
1.    This isn’t a game.
2.    It can cause death.

When kids participate in this activity, they are suffocating themselves on purpose by “cutting off the flow of blood to the brain in exchange for a few seconds of feeling lightheaded” (http://www.gaspinfo.com/en/home.html).

I am attaching a link to the Website G.A.S.P. (Games Adolescents Shouldn’t Play) that will give you—and your child—more information about this dangerous activity.  Oprah Winfrey hosted a show entitled "Is Your Child Playing the Choking Game?"  I have also attached a link to this for you to view as well.

If you believe your child may be engaging in this risky behavior and would like assistance in addressing this with your child, please contact your child’s grade-level counselor.

Any time you become aware of risky or dangerous behaviors involving Northeast students, please inform the staff of Northeast so we can support these students and their families, but also so we can share information with all Northeast families that will assist in keeping all our students safe.

Thank you,
Kim