***READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED***
Posts about real school tragedy, crime and/or events can be upsetting.
Children go to school blindly trusting they will receive an education and learn how to socialize. When a trusted school employee does something criminal, it’s heartbreaking to the adults who understand and confusing to the students who don’t.
BLOG POST #143: This week, I’m sharing research on a specific criminal case involving a second-grade teacher.
The second-grade teacher was a 47-year-old divorced mother of three living with two men, one of whom was on home detention for a previous crime. She’d been with the elementary school ten years.
Bad Influences
Following a tip, the local sheriff department dispatched deputies to the teacher’s home where they found drugs and paraphernalia.
The teacher’s housemates were arrested.
Upon finding the drugs at her home, additional deputies went to the elementary school where the teacher worked.
Zero Tolerance
Deputies found methamphetamine and marijuana in her unattended purse in her classroom. She was arrested at the school without incident.
She was charged with possession of methamphetamine on school property and 14 counts of neglect of a dependent in addition to possession of illegal substances in her home.
Degree Wasted
To avoid trial, the ex-teacher with a master’s degree, pleaded guilty to bringing drugs to school and guilty to possession of methamphetamine.
The county prosecutor was quoted to have said, “When you send your kids to school you should have an expectation that it’s a drug-free environment,” and “When you have teachers bringing drugs into an elementary school, that’s something that certainly we need to take very seriously.”
Light Sentence
Even with the county prosecutor’s strong words, the judge gave her a three-year suspended sentence, with one year to serve on home incarceration, and two years of probation.
Repeat Offender
Before she could begin serving her sentence, she was arrested for dealing drugs. The outcome of her second arrest is yet to be determined.
What do you think about this case? Join the conversation on the website. We talk about the sensitive subject of crimes occurring at or connected to schools. Your relevant comments are always welcome on the Research Blog.
Do you know of a school crime you’d like to share? Email me so we can discuss the details.
Thanks for reading!
-Robin
Find out what Mac MacKenna is up to in
UNKNOWN THREAT and MAC
Both Available at Amazon
MAC is FREE when you join Robin’s Reader Club