As students sharpen their pencils and settle into another school year, some school staff seem to have missed the memo on setting a good example. This week’s Weird and Wacky Wednesday explores three back-to-school stories that remind us even the grown-ups can make mistakes. One wonders where to draw the line on anti-social behaviour when it comes to those who are responsible for students.
Kentucky Teacher Shows Up Drunk to School, Gets Arrested and Resigns
Less than a week into the new school year, a Kentucky middle school staffer, Tamara Mouser, made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The school day was just getting started when an administrator at TK Stone Middle School noticed something off. It wasn’t long before the school resource officer confirmed the suspicion—Mouser was drunk. She was removed from the campus and arrested. Public intoxication was the charge, and as swiftly as she was removed, she resigned from her position. The Elizabethtown Police Department is handling the investigation, and while the students are back to learning, Mouser’s days in the classroom seem to be over.
One would think many teachers could use a drink to get through the day. Not all offences need to have a victim – just a societal wrong, but an arrest and criminal charge seems heavy handed.
Off-duty NYPD School Crossing Guard Arrested in Brooklyn
Meagan Hubbard, a Brooklyn crossing guard, was caught on surveillance video participating in a gang assault. Hubbard, along with five others, was involved in beating a man back on August 5th. The group didn’t stop at physical assault—they also stole the man’s registered firearm. When the NYPD caught up to her one recent morning, she was arrested on charges of robbery, gang assault, and assault.
Hubbard was released on her own recognizance and suspended without pay while the investigation continues. Four others involved in the attack who are still at large, Hubbard’s school crossing days are likely behind her. The poorly calibrated morality compass of a crossing guard is unlikely to impact their capacity to hold a stop sign. Still, with these jobs it seems we err on the side of caution.
No Charges for 2nd-Grade Teacher Allegedly Teaching Drunk
The final story in our back-to-school special takes us to California, where a 57-year-old second-grade teacher faced allegations of teaching class drunk but escaped without charges. Wendy Munson, who worked at Nuestro Elementary School in Live Oak, was arrested after sheriff’s deputies received reports of her alleged intoxication. Deputies arrived at the school and found Munson in the middle of teaching, showing visible signs of intoxication. Her blood alcohol level was later measured at 0.19% and 0.20%—more than double the legal limit for driving.
Yet despite these shocking numbers, prosecutors announced they wouldn’t be filing charges. Why? While teaching while intoxicated might be inappropriate, it turns out it’s not necessarily illegal. There wasn’t enough evidence to prove Munson was drunk when she drove to work or that her behavior put her students in actual danger. While the incident may have been a professional disaster for Munson, legally, she’s in the clear. For parents and students at Nuestro Elementary, this strange situation is sure to raise questions about where the lines are drawn when it comes to school safety.
