A Wisconsin elementary school teacher has been arrested after authorities say she admitted using cocaine on school grounds -specifically the bathroom.
Laurie Laubenstein, who teaches at Lincoln Elementary School in New London, now faces a criminal charge of cocaine possession.
Prosecutors have added a modifier to the charge, making it more serious because the alleged possession occurred on a school campus, a protected location.
According to WBAY, the investigation began after an anonymous tip raised concerns about Laubenstein’s behavior at work.
The tipster said a school resource officer had noticed changes in her demeanor and reported she often took her purse into the bathroom. Suspicious items, including bloody tissues and traces of a white powdery substance, were also found in restroom areas.
Police returned to the school on February 12 and found cocaine in Laubenstein’s purse and coat pocket after a brief search.
She later admitted to using cocaine regularly, starting in August of last year, and confessed to using it before and after school, as well as during the school day in classroom and teacher lounge bathrooms.
Laubenstein reportedly told police she never intended to endanger students and claimed she always cleaned up after herself.
The school district sent a letter to parents confirming the investigation but stating they did not believe students or staff were ever at risk, according to the report.
