By Wendy Munson, a 57-year-old second-grade teacher at Nuestro Elementary School in Live Oak, California, will not face charges after being arrested on October 2, 2023, for allegedly teaching while intoxicated. Despite the arrest, prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove that a crime had been committed.
Sutter County sheriff’s deputies were alerted to a staff member appearing intoxicated at the school and found Munson slurring her speech and showing signs of having consumed alcohol. Video evidence was provided of her driving to school and failing a sobriety test, with subsequent tests revealing her blood alcohol level to be well above the legal limit for drivers in California.
However, after an eight-month investigation, Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupré announced that no charges would be filed. “The behavior is reprehensible,” Dupré stated, “But it doesn’t violate the penal code to teach kids when they’re drunk.”
Prosecutors could not conclusively prove that Munson was intoxicated while driving to school, as video footage did not show overt signs of impairment when she exited her car. Interviews with current and former students also failed to establish whether she was drunk while driving or if she began drinking at the school.
Additionally, prosecutors could not meet the legal criteria for the child endangerment charge. “There was no specific information indicating that the children in Munson’s class were placed in a position where their persons or health were endangered,” officials with the district attorney’s office explained.
Dupré emphasized that while the conduct was unacceptable, it was unfortunately not criminal. The incident is now considered a personnel matter for the school and district to handle. Munson’s name no longer appears on the district’s website as a current teacher.
Parents expressed their disbelief and disappointment upon learning of the incident. “I thought it was crazy. I think she should’ve called out of work,” said Kaitlynn Conley, a parent picking up a student at the school. “I know people have fun weekends, but that was definitely not OK as an educator.”
The case highlights the challenges prosecutors face when attempting to hold individuals accountable for inappropriate behavior that may not meet the legal threshold for criminal charges.
Credit: Mail.com
