‘I will not stop,' Texas mom who lost son fights for fentanyl education
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Stefanie Roe has spent a lot of time at the Texas Capitol.
In 2023, she pushed for legislation named for her son, Tucker, who died from fentanyl poisoning. He was 19 years old. In June 2023, Roe sat beside Gov. Greg Abbott as he signed Tucker's Law, which requires Texas school districts to educate students in grades 6-12 about the drug.
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But passing the law was just part of the fight to honor her son and save lives. Roe said there has been confusion over how to teach the topic.
'It's an unfunded mandate from the state,' Roe said, adding that without funding, schools could struggle to meet the requirements of Tucker's Law.
'That's frustrating. A law without any guidance is a disaster. It created a disaster for schools,' Roe said.
Tucker was Roe's only son. After his death, she founded the nonprofit Texas Against Fentanyl, also known as TXAF. It's a 501(c)(3) founded to increase awareness, support and legislation surrounding the drug. Many of those involved in the nonprofit have their own stories of loss, and a mission to prevent others from dying from fentanyl poisoning.
'We understand the crisis for what it is,' Roe said.
A key part of the TXAF mission is education. Through The Tucker Project, TXAF developed Street Smart, an interdisciplinary curriculum to help teach about the dangers of fentanyl. Roe worked with the state of Georgia to implement the curriculum in their schools. She's working on a pilot program to get it into Texas classrooms.
Roe is hoping lawmakers will provide funding to roll out the curriculum. But she's also pushing for change on the national level.
'I will not stop until the nation has Tucker's Law and education is required at schools across the United States,' Roe said. 'We have a lot of work to do. I don't think I'll ever stop. I'll probably be marching at the Capitol for the rest of my life.'
Roe said she does it in Tucker's memory. She believes he would be proud of her work.
'I know that he's smiling and saying 'go get 'em, mama,'' Roe said, smiling, as she stood on the steps of the State Capitol.
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