Ex-North Andover Teacher-Coach Charged With Giving Drugs To Student Athlete
NORTH ANDOVER (CBS) -- A former teacher and coach at North Andover High School is accused of giving drugs to a student-athlete.
A spokeswoman for the Essex County District Attorney's Office said police arrested Elizabeth Backler, 28, of Newburyport, Monday night in her home.
She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Lawrence District Court Tuesday on charges of distributing oxycodone and diazepam.
Backler is currently a science teacher at Amesbury Academy Charter School.
Dr. Jennifer Price, the Superintendent of North Andover Public Schools, said Backler worked in her district from May 2011 until this past February.
She was substitute teacher and then became a full-time science teacher for the 2013-2014 school year. Backler was also an assistant coach for both the boys and girls swim teams from 2013-15.
"In June 2015 when Ms. Backler was no longer an employee of the North Andover Public Schools, the North Andover High School administration was notified by a parent about potential concerning behavior by Ms. Backler," Price said in a statement Tuesday.
"The high school administration immediately turned this matter over to the School Resource Officer for the North Andover Police. The police then began a thorough investigation of the matter. The police have informed us that to the best of their knowledge this is an isolated incident only involving a single student."
Prosecutors allege that she gave the painkillers to a former North Andover swimmer in 2014.
Amesbury Public Schools released a statement saying Backler has been placed on paid administrative leave. She's also been ordered to stay away from North Andover High School, to stay away from the victim, and not to have unsupervised contact with any children under 18.
"The protection of our students is paramount," the superintendent said. "To the best of our knowledge, these allegations do not involve any students in the Amesbury Public Schools district."