A California high school teacher was arrested Wednesday after allegedly teaching her students drunk, stoned and high on prescription drugs.
Terra Linda High School teacher Teagan Leonhart, 46, of San Anselmo, was jailed in the Marin County Jail on charges of public intoxication and child endangerment after a school administrator called police to report that a teacher at 11:51 a.m. was under under the influence of alcohol.
She was dragged out of the classroom and questioned by police – initially denying having been drinking that morning but admitting to having consumed alcohol after a breathalyzer showed a blood alcohol content of at least 0.24 percent, police said.
Before she was removed, Leonhart was teaching 53 students in her classroom that day, police said.
She was sent to the Marin County jail and has since been released – the school board told Leonhart is now on paid administrative leave.
Terra Linda High School teacher Teagan Leonhart of San Anselmo, 46 (pictured), was jailed in the Marin County Jail on charges of public intoxication and child endangerment after a school administrator called police at 11:51 a.m. Wednesday to order to report a drunk teacher
Terra Linda High School in San Rafael is a “high-realing” school with 1,039 students enrolled in the top 25 percent of all California high schools, according to PrepScholar
“A school employee alerted a school administrator that he believed a teacher was under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” San Rafael Police Lt. Dan Drink told KRON4.
“The administrator went into the classroom where the teacher, Teagan Leonhart, was teaching. The administrator saw that Leonhart was showing signs of intoxication and removed her from the classroom.’
When questioned by officers, Leonhart allegedly denied drinking alcohol before coming to class, police said. However, a breathalyser test revealed the English teacher’s blood-alcohol level to be more than three times the legal limit for driving.
“When confronted with the test results, [Leonhart] Admitted to having some alcohol that morning,’ said Fink.
Fink said the San Rafael officer, who is a board-certified drug detection expert, determined that Leonhart was not only intoxicated, but also under the influence of marijuana and a prescription drug.
“The DRE officer felt that Leonhart, being intoxicated, was unable to keep the children safe while they were in her classroom.”
According to her LinkedIn profile, Leonhart has been teaching at Terra Linda High for ten years
Terra Linda High School Principal Katy Dunlap told that Leonhart was on paid administrative leave following the incident
Leonhart was taken to the Marin County Jail but does not appear to be currently incarcerated, according to jail records.
Terra Linda director Katy Dunlap told that Leonhart was on paid administrative leave following the incident.
“Terra Linda High School does not comment on personnel matters. The safety and welfare of our students is my top priority,” she wrote in an email.
“Principal Katy Dunlap has emailed students and families.”
Terra Linda High School in San Rafael is a “high-realing” school with 1,039 students enrolled in the top 25 percent of all California high schools, according to PrepScholar.
Earlier this month, she asked her friends on Facebook for sci-fi and fantasy recommendations for a unit in her classroom — and said she’s inviting an author, who’s written a book about “lesbian gunslingers in space,” to join her to speak to students
According to her LinkedIn profile, Leonhart has been teaching at Terra Linda High for ten years.
Earlier this month, she asked her friends on Facebook for sci-fi and fantasy recommendations for a unit in her classroom — and said she’s inviting an author, who’s written a book about “lesbian gunslingers in space,” to join her to speak to students.
“I’m doing this because I think kids are going to make it big and I want to know more about these genres myself,” she wrote.
“I met a woman whose daughter (aged 24) wrote and published a novel about ‘lesbian gunslingers in space.’ I hope she comes in. So… that’s a good example for my search.’