GERMANTOWN, WI: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Friday that a teacher from Kennedy Middle School outside of Milwaukee was arrested after a student found marijuana in her purse. The incident occurred on Thursday when the police responded to a call from the school saying that 60-year-old teacher Cynthia Schwister had brought drugs onto school premises.
The teacher allegedly brought a one-hitter pipe with weed in it onto school grounds in her purse. The student found the marijuana inside the teacher's purse in a common area where she normally kept it. The area was also used by students to wash their hands.
Germantown Police Chief Peter Hoell said that the student who found the marijuana in the teacher's purse would be punished by the school district for violating the teacher's personal property. The Germantown School District Superintendent Jeff Holmes said that the district is investigating the incident.
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Holmes also called the parents of each student attending the school and left a voicemail advising them that Schwister had been put on an administrative leave due to the situation, saying, "The Germantown School District is committed to its drug-free school's policy. We will not tolerate any person, whether it be a member of our administration, faculty, staff or a student, bringing drugs to our schools, being intoxicated at school, or using the schools for drug trafficking, or other drug-related misconduct.”
He added that the teacher cooperated with law enforcement officials and took responsibility for the marijuana.
Marijuana is currently illegal in Wisconsin, but a candidate for governor is pushing for marijuana to be legalized in the state. Matt Flynn is running for governor and supports legalization. Flynn is also the former chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. He said that if he is elected governor, he will pardon all minor non-violent drug convictions. Flynn is currently in the lead of other Democrats, raising $351,000 so far. If he is elected governor, numerous people with marijuana convictions in the state could receive a pardon.
Unfortunately, that doesn't help Schwister now; however, authorities say that other than the citations for marijuana and paraphernalia possession, they will not pursue further criminal charges. Whether or not she will lose her job because of the incident remains to be seen.
