The Register's Editorial: Require schools to report intoxicated teachers
Kindergartners at East Elementary School in Ankeny had a Valentine's Day party on February 13. Their teacher, Jennifer Lynn Rich, was engaging in some festivities of her own.
Rich admitted she drank two beers during lunch and another in the classroom. There were four more full beer cans in her bag and her blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit (for driving), according to Ankeny police. Rich resigned. The only criminal charge filed against her as of last week was for public intoxication — the same charge anyone caught walking home drunk from a bar could face.
While additional criminal penalties may not be warranted, Iowans should be given assurances this woman will not be inebriated in another kindergarten classroom a month from now. The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners could help ensure that doesn't happen by requiring her to undergo counseling or suspending her teaching license.
Of course, the board needs to know about the incident to review it.
Almost two weeks after the incident, Ankeny school officials had still not notified the board. A district spokesperson said they were waiting to get "the whole picture" first because it would prompt the board to "examine her (teaching) license and perhaps take it away."
Yes, this is how things work with all state licensing boards, including the one overseeing teachers. The board is supposed to investigate alleged wrongdoing and make a determination about what to do next. Board members should find out about problems from school officials, not news articles.
Meanwhile the public is left wondering how many times Rich was intoxicated while teaching and whether the school was aware of problems. How often do Ankeny and other districts fail to report such incidents to the board? How many other Iowa teachers are drunk in class?
Last year special education teacher Dennis Pagel was forced out of his job at the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District. It wasn't until The Des Moines Register reviewed state workforce records that the story of what happened came to light.
Pagel showed up for work hung over. Later in the day he went home for lunch, drank more alcohol and returned to school. Ultimately police determined his blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit. There was a bottle of vodka in his car, he admitted to taking Oxycontin in addition to drinking and his speech was slurred, according to a police report.
No criminal charges were filed. The district did not force Pagel to resign until after community members raised questions. Then it promised to provide him a letter of reference, pay his salary through the summer, not file a complaint with the state board and only tell prospective employers his employment ended because he resigned.
At the time, a spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Education said being under the influence of alcohol at work is something school districts can, but are not required to, report.
The Iowa Legislature or the board should require reporting of such incidents. Right now school districts can simply wash their hands of an educator who can pack up, move to another district and repeat the behavior with another group of students.
Teachers are public workers responsible for the education and safety of Iowa children. They are also mandatory child abuse reporters, required to notify the state if they suspect a caregiver is abusing, neglecting or endangering a child.
Yet reporting possible child endangerment committed by a colleague is optional. That is outrageous.