Teacher arrested for allegedly teaching drunk

[tonysam]

A teacher is learning the lesson of her life, and it will likely cost her a teaching job.

Video report is included:

A middle school teacher in Riverside County has been arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of prescription drugs and alcohol while teaching.

Tanya Neff, 47, was arrested Tuesday at Toro Canyon Middle School in the town of Thermal, about 40 miles southeast of Palm Springs.

The school district said a staff member called authorities around lunchtime when the seventh-grade teacher began showing signs of being intoxicated.

"He was right next to the class that it happened in, and he came and he told me what had happened. But they just had told him that she had taken some pills and she had fainted," said Elizabeth Godinez, whose son attends the school.

When deputies arrived, Neff was being treated by a school nurse in the administration building. Investigators believe Neff took prescription drugs combined with alcohol. Deputies found a container filled with an alcoholic beverage on campus.

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[virgogal]

1. She needs help.

[tonysam]

2. To say the least. However, she will get help--right out the door. n/t

[paulsby]

3. it's definitely bad

but i'm not sure it would be a crime where i work

i can't think of any law that would fit (note: WA state does not have a drunk in public law, for instance)

[tonysam]

4. With teaching it is much, much different.

Teachers' conduct is supposed to be at a higher standard. Of course it doesn't always happen.

[paulsby]

5. but that doesn;'t make it CRIMINAL

it just makes it a breach of professional conduct and actionable civilly and within the job

if it';s not a CRIME, it;s not ILLEGAL

that's what i was referring to.

example: i got a call the other day from a parent who wanted to report an "assault" by a teacher on her kid

in brief, the kid alleged the teacher swatted him in the side of the head with a few pieces of paper he had in his hand because the kid had turned around and was talking to a kid behind him.

under WA law, that is not an assault. teacher's have the same legal authority to use physical force on children as parents do. it's written in the RCW.

NOT illegal. likely a violation of school policy, though. so, i told her to continue to have the issue addressed THAT way, and/or she could get an attorney, but it was not a police matter, since it was not a CRIME.

i guess one could argue that teaching drunk would be reckless endangerment, though. that is illegal. something like that. since , due to their in loco parentis role, they have legal duties.

[tonysam]

6. That's what they did here. That's why she is in jail.

Normally people wouldn't be in jail for something like this, but it's the fact that it involved kids in the classroom that makes it different.

[paulsby]

9. ah, i see

yes, that makes sense.

since she has a loco parentis role, by conducting the class impaired by intoxicants, she is recklessly endangering them as she cannot responsibly protect them from harm

that works

[tonysam]

10. That's the only logical reason for it. She's cooked for her stupidity. n/t

[MadLinguist]

8. Undoubtedly, but does such conduct on the job constitute a crime?

I find it exceedingly odd that she would be arrested. Lose your job for drunkenness? Hell, a landscaper or a frozen yogurt disher could get the pink slip for that. But an arrest? Its as if the profession itself is being targeted in recent times.

[tonysam]

11. See above post. It has to do with the fact she was intoxicated in front of kids

and in theory could have endangered them or not be able to keep them out of danger.

[paulsby]

14. right. i think especially the latter

based on the in loco parentis concept, a teacher has an affirmative duty, and therefore by intoxicating herself is unable to perform that duty

[Birthmark]

7. What, don't drunks have the right to be taught?

:)

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Similar story here awhile back

She was followed by the school resource officer as she left school. He pulled her over and arrested her for DUI. Then they found liquor in her classroom.

She was fired.

[Fire1]

13. I remember a similar incident several years after starting my

career. An acquaintance was teaching P.E. and was fired for being "high" on marijuana. I think she was found "sleeping" in class, one too many times.