An eighth-grade teacher at Lewis Frasier Middle School resigned Monday morning after she was allegedly found with a residual quantity of suspected marijuana at school on May 12 and a urine test indicated a positive result for the drug a few days later.
Amber Griffin-Fields was asked by school administrators to leave the school immediately and report to the school board office on May 12 when the Multi Agency Crack Enforcement Drug Task Force conducted a school safety search at the school. According to MACE Unit Commander Al Cato, a dog alerted to the area of Griffin-Fields’ purse and desk where the agents reportedly found a minute quantity of what they suspected was marijuana.
“She was asked to leave the premises at the school because of the disruptive nature of her behavior (arguing with the officer) and the incident,” BoE Superintendant Dr. Judy Scherer said in an e-mail statement to the Courier last week. “She reported to the central office where she was immediately taken for a drug test and placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of both the drug test and the criminal investigation.”
Cato said the teacher started insinuating the suspected marijuana belonged to someone else but later recanted her story.
On Monday, Scherer told the Courier Griffin-Fields’ drug test came back positive and the teacher resigned effective immediately.
According to Cato, the teacher faces misdemeanor possession of marijuana charges. Scherer said local educators would report the incident to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which could choose to suspend her teaching certificate or take other disciplinary action.
Amber Griffin-Fields was asked by school administrators to leave the school immediately and report to the school board office on May 12 when the Multi Agency Crack Enforcement Drug Task Force conducted a school safety search at the school. According to MACE Unit Commander Al Cato, a dog alerted to the area of Griffin-Fields’ purse and desk where the agents reportedly found a minute quantity of what they suspected was marijuana.
“She was asked to leave the premises at the school because of the disruptive nature of her behavior (arguing with the officer) and the incident,” BoE Superintendant Dr. Judy Scherer said in an e-mail statement to the Courier last week. “She reported to the central office where she was immediately taken for a drug test and placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of both the drug test and the criminal investigation.”
Cato said the teacher started insinuating the suspected marijuana belonged to someone else but later recanted her story.
On Monday, Scherer told the Courier Griffin-Fields’ drug test came back positive and the teacher resigned effective immediately.
According to Cato, the teacher faces misdemeanor possession of marijuana charges. Scherer said local educators would report the incident to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which could choose to suspend her teaching certificate or take other disciplinary action.