Primary school teacher is banned for two years after’popping pills and drinking vodka in her car before passing in front of students at her desk’
- Primary school teacher popped pills and drank vodka before passing out at desk
- The female teacher endured a breakdown over three years of erratic behaviour
- She drank alcohol at school multiple times and collapsed in front of students
- The teacher also collapsed after drinking sanitiser that was in a water bottle
- She has been banned from teaching for two years and is in rehabilitation
A primary school teacher popped pills and drank vodka before passing out on her desk in front of a class of Year 2 students.
The female Queensland teacher, who cannot be named for legal reasons, endured a breakdown that saw her take Valium to calm herself down, drink alcohol in the classroom and pass out in front of students.
A Tribunal found that over three years, the teacher exposed vulnerable children to risky and frightening behaviour.
In court documents published by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal it was revealed on the morning of August 31, 2016, she took Valium before teaching a class of Year 2 students.
The female Queensland teacher endured a breakdown that saw her take Valium to calm herself down, drink alcohol in the classroom and pass out in front of students (stock image)
A Tribunal found that over three years, the teacher exposed vulnerable children to risky and frightening behaviour, including passing out in front of them (stock image)
She took the pills to calm herself down after a domestic altercation with her ex-husband the night before and went to her car to take more Valium and drink vodka during the morning break.
She returned to the classroom with the vodka before passing out at her desk in front of the class of young students, and had to be rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
On September 6, the teacher was on duty at the school and went to her car on two occasions to drink vodka and again took Valium.
She was found asleep in her classroom by the school principal, who woke her and took her to the office.
The principal found the teacher was speaking slowly, was confused and swayed when she walked.
The teacher then drove away from the school, ignoring the advice of the principal who notified police she was driving over the limit.
When police pulled her over, she underwent a breath test and returned a positive blood alcohol (BAC) level of 0.144 per cent before she was fined $800 and suspended from driving for five months.
It seemed the teacher had stopped the erratic behaviour, until August 3, 2018, when she was working as a relief teacher at a primary school and drank alcohol.
The documents said she went home at lunch time, took a Valium and drank more alcohol before returning to the school.
She collapsed near the school library and was rushed to hospital where she tested a BAC level of 0.34 – almost seven times over the legal limit.
On September 6, the teacher was on duty at the school and went to her car on two occasions to drink vodka and again took Valium (stock image)
The teacher also collapsed another time after she consumed hand sanitiser that was kept in a water bottle.
The court documents also said she ‘placed her own children at serious risk by driving while she was under the influence of alcohol’.
She blamed the behaviour on the breakdown of her marriage, depression and anxiety, but is now getting treatment in a rehabilitation program and ‘feels she is on her way to recovery but realises this will take time’.
The teacher has been banned from all classrooms for at least two years and cannot apply for registration during this time.
Before she is allowed to teach again, the teacher will need to show proof of treatment for alcohol dependence and provide positive tests for abstinence from alcohol.
If she chooses to return to teaching in two years, she must also stay away from alcohol for another year and continue with psychiatric treatment.