Kindergarten teacher charged with drinking in class

ANKEY, Iowa -- A kindergarten teacher was arrested Monday for allegedly having alcohol in her classroom. According to CBS affiliate KCCI, police say two empty cans of beer and four full cans were found in the classroom of teacher Jennifer Rich, after a parent noticed one can of beer during a Valentine's Day party.

Rich, 40, has been charged with public intoxication and child endangerment after police said she tested positive during a preliminary breath test, and a bag in her classroom held a total of six beer cans.

Chief Human Resource Officer Jenifer Owenson said the school district put Rich on administrative leave immediately, according to the station. She also said the school conducted its own investigation, and gave Rich the option to resign.

The Ankeny School Board accepted her resignation Monday night, KCCI reports.

"The principal has been in touch with all of the parents over the weekend and assured them that their children were never in any kind of harm," Owenson said.

Rich's profile, which has now been taken down from the school's website, said she's been teaching in Ankeny, about 10 miles from Des Moines, since 2001. Owenson said the school had no indication that this was an ongoing problem in the classroom.

Parents said they just hope this will be a wake-up call.

"Maybe she'll get the help she needs now," said Paul Dullard, father of one student.

"Hopefully the kids can just recover and keep going," mother Stacy Dullard told KCCI.

School officials said students in that classroom will now have a long-term substitute teacher, and the school is keeping an eye on the students to make sure they adjust well to the change.