A Cherokee middle school teacher is facing misdemeanor charges for allegedly allowing minors to smoke marijuana at her house, but her biggest penalty may come from the school district, the commander of county narcotics investigations told The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Wednesday.
“Obviously, the greater impact would be the adverse impact it may have on her employment,” said Phil Price, commander of the Cherokee County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad. “She deals with a lot of people at an impressionable age. Whatever her beliefs are about the use of marijuana, it is still against the law in Georgia.”
Christine Cantrell, a 40-year-old teacher at Teasley Middle School in Canton, was charged Tuesday with possession of marijuana less than an ounce, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and keeping a disorderly house, meaning she allowed illegal activity to occur there, all misdemeanors, Price said.
Her husband, 45-year-old Jeff Cantrell, was arrested on similar charges. Both were released Tuesday night on $3,000 bonds, according to a released statement.
Cherokee County School District spokeswoman Barbara Jacoby told Channel 2 Action News, “A CCSD administrative investigation into these allegations is underway; the teacher in question will be reassigned to a non-classroom setting until the investigation is concluded.”
Concerned parents provided the first tip of the illegal activity and middle school students later confirmed to investigators the Cantrells’ involvement, Price said.
It was unclear how long the alleged activity had gone on or how many students were involved, Price said.
