LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC
A substitute teacher who was arrested last week is accused of drinking alcohol from a box while in a classroom, according to reports.
Lexington School District 2 stated in a release that a substitute teacher at Brookland-Cayce High School was behaving erratically Friday morning and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
Administrators went to the classroom around 9:45 a.m. and found Judith Elizabeth Richards-Gartee throwing up and unable to stand, according to the law enforcement incident report released Monday.
The administration removed her from the classroom in a wheelchair and sent her to a school resource officer.
The officer, a Lexington County deputy, reported he discovered a box of wine in Richards-Gartee’s open handbag.
Students told the deputy she was consuming the wine during class, the report stated.
Richards-Gartee was taken to the nurse’s office. EMS then transported her to Lexington Medical Center.
Richards-Gartee, 52, of Irmo was charged with disorderly conduct, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
The school district said Richards-Gartee works for temporary employee agency Kelly Services.
The district contracts with Kelly Services to provide their schools with substitute teachers.
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article138200848.html#storylink=cpy