Snack time is happy time – just ask any kid (or adult for that matter.)
But for one class of kindergarteners, happy time turned into happy hour, and needless to say, parents aren’t exactly happy.
According to NBC affiliate Local 4 News, a kindergarten student in Michigan brought a premixed bottle of Jose Cuervo margarita mix to class and shared it with four others at snack time.
1, 2, 3…Tequila!
The boozy incident occurred at the Grand River Academy in Livonia on Thursday.
The 5-year-old apparently brought a small plastic bottle of the cocktail (which contains 10% alcohol) to school and served it up to 4 of her friends in dixie cups.
Fox 2 News reported that it was something similar to this:
The students, mistaking the “mommy juice” for real juice, took a few sips before one of the girls let the teacher know.
The girl’s mother, Dominique Zanders, explained what happened to local media:
“The girl poured it in her cup and she [her daughter] drank it and the girl ended up telling her what it is, and she went and told the teacher there is liquor in this cup, and the teacher gave her a funny face.”
Zanders went on to say that her daughter “felt woozy, a little dizzy.”
Alexis Smith, the mother of another child affected, said her daughter drank about 4 or 5 sips before she realized it wasn’t, in fact, juice.
According to both Zanders and Smith, the girl responsible for bringing the margarita mix into school knew it was alcohol.
She brought the single-serve, pre-mixed drink to school in her backpack.
In an interview Smith said:
“I had a small conversation with my daughter – nothing big – and she told me the girl knew it was liquor.”
As soon as the teacher heard of the hootch juice she informed the principal. The school immediately contacted the parents of the five students that were involved.
School officials also consulted poison control who recommended giving the kids water and crackers.
None of the students seemed to experience any lingering effects and all are reported as “doing well.”
The school sent out a letter later that day informing the parents of the kindergarten class of the “spirit-filled” snack time.
In the letter, they stated that they will be taking “disciplinary measures in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.”
In addition to the letter, Local 4 News also obtained the following statement from a school spokesperson:
“We understand our parents’ fears and frustrations. A student did bring a pre-mixed, single-serve alcoholic beverage that was marketed as adult lemonade to school and share it with four classmates.
While we try to keep an eye on everything our students bring to school, that’s simply not possible. It’s unfortunate that these types of adult beverages can be easily mistaken for child-friendly drinks.
They’re not wrong.
In an effort to stand out many liquor companies are turning to eye-catching and fun packaging to entice consumers. And when it comes to our littles it can be hard for them to distinguish between what is “adult” and what is child-appropriate.
The statement went on to read:
“School staff noticed the beverage and immediately addressed the situation, which included consulting with medical professionals at poison control and calling the parents of the children involved.
We are grateful no student became ill or needed medical attention.”
Still, Smith is not impressed. She wants the parents of the child responsible to be held accountable.
Smith told reporters:
If your child knows what it is, nothing wrong with it — but they should know not to touch it – That it’s not for kids.”
Additionally, as a result of what happened, she will NOT be sending her daughter back to school. She is currently looking into other options.
As for Zanders? She said this never should have happened and she wants some answers:
“I’m not sure if they are short-staffed or whatever, it shouldn’t have happened.”
The thing is, things happen. Whether they should or not. As for who’s to blame? That’s up for debate.
People are torn over whether or not it’s the fault of the teacher, the school, the kindergartener, her parents, or even Jose Cuervo. Or, alternatively, just a stupid mistake.
What do you think?
As for the “disciplinary measures” the offending kindergartener faced, they remain confidential due to student privacy laws.
But one thing’s for sure, she’s well on her way to a successful career in bartending (just kidding).