TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Teacher Presumed Drunk Resigns

ADVERTISEMENT

By RONNIE BLAIR rblair@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 28, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - A middle school teacher who was accused of being drunk in her classroom last week has resigned, the Pasco County School District reported Friday.
Language arts teacher Kylene Nelson, 42, submitted her resignation Thursday, school district spokeswoman Maureen Moore said.

The resignation won't be dealt with officially by the Pasco County School Board until its next meeting April 21, but a substitute teacher has replaced Nelson in her classroom at Rushe Middle School, Moore said.

Nelson was taken into protective custody March 18 under the state's Baker Act after she appeared drunk in class and a test registered her blood-alcohol level at 0.26, a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report said. State law presumes intoxication at 0.08.

Parents said their children told them Nelson put on music, danced and tried to get some of them to dance with her. Some students used cell phones to photograph or take video of the teacher.

Nelson was assigned to Rushe Middle in August 2007 because she had been accused of being drunk at work before and couldn't return to her old school.

According to her personnel records, on Oct. 26, 2006, after Nelson didn't show up for her third-period class at Seven Springs Middle in New Port Richey, two assistant principals found her asleep in her car in the faculty parking lot.

Nelson had difficulty standing and walking, had slurred speech, smelled of alcohol, and had wine in the car, records said.

In a letter to Nelson dated Nov. 8, 2006, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Heather Fiorentino said she had considered recommending the school board fire Nelson but decided to give her another chance.

Fiorentino's decision was conditional. Nelson had to take a leave of absence for the remainder of the 2006-07 school year and enter and complete a substance-abuse program. She also would not be allowed to return to Seven Springs Middle.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT