Rotterdam teacher charged with drug possession in Albany

By JORDAN CARLEO-EVANGELIST, Staff writer
Last updated: 3:19 p.m., Monday, May 24, 2010
ALBANY -- A 32-year-old Mohonasen Central School District teacher was charged with misdemeanor drug possession Sunday after city police allegedly found him sitting in his car with small amounts of both powdered and crack cocaine.

     
Kristofer Rose, of Colonial Drive in Rotterdam, an eighth-grade English teacher at Draper Middle School, was spotted by a police officer while sitting in his 1999 Plymouth Neon sedan around 5:45 p.m. on Broadway near North Ferry Street, police said.

The officer became suspicious when it appeared to him that Rose tried to slouch down to avoid being spotted, police said.

Rose, who's been a teacher at the school since January 2005, was charged with 7th-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance after the officer allegedly found one plastic "tie-off" of crack-cocaine in his possession and a piece of paper containing powdered cocaine in the front left pocket of his shorts.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=934223#ixzz0osR7KMwu

Wondering....are teachers required to take a drug test before being hired?  Is a background check performed?  What do they do before hiring a teacher other than looking at their eductational credentials?

You'd have to check their 'union contract' to see if drug testing is allowed. I really don't know.

My wife has a friend who subs and she had to be fingerprinted.

No one will be fired.

Perhaps Mohonasen has learned over the years with Constantino and will do the right thing like Guilderland schools did!

Well, I don't think he can just be fired...since employment law treats this as a "disability," he needs to be provided opportunities to get better.

Don't get me wrong...I think it's a crock.  But it's the way it is.  The only way to get rid of someone like that, who has tenure and is union, is to have them resign, or buy them out.

Here's the real question - do you support buying out such an individual?  Because it's the only true way to get rid of a public employee who has done something like this while not working.

Most companies treat drug abuse or alcohol addiction as an illness and therefore the company or school district will send the individual to a rehab facility. The private sector will then fire you if you get caught a second time using drugs and many companies now require random drug tests to insure their employees are drug free.

That's right, Shadow.  Problem is, from everything I hear, this guy wasn't doing it at work...that's what makes it tricky.

Her was on his own time but is he teaching children while under the influence of drugs by taking drugs b4 school at his home then going to class to teach. A very tough situation to prove and he may only have to go to rehab.

The new tonight said he had crack/cocaine. So is that a misdemenor?

But here's the question I have..... How does a school district allow a drug addict teacher continue to work there when the school district boasts about their 'anti-drug' program? So if this teacher caught a kid with drugs, what would he do? Report the kid or try to buy some stuff off of him? Or perhaps sell the kid his stuff?

And I really don't want to hear the liberal bs about rehabilitation! The guy broke the law and is a danger to the children. The parents should be outraged if he is allowed to continue to teach! IMHO

Well, they have to either allow him to teach, pay to keep him on administrative leave, or settle with him to leave the district.  It sucks...but their hands are tied!

Treat him like the Chinese would. No more, no less. They lecture us on human rights with Obama's consent, so try their methods for once.

Quoted Text

ROTTERDAM
Draper teacher suspended after drug arrest
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3105 or mgoot@dailygazette.net.

A Draper Middle School teacher arrested in Albany Sunday on a drug possession charge was placed on administrative leave with pay Tuesday.
Kristofer Rose, 32, of Colonial Drive, allegedly had crack cocaine in his car and on his person when parked at the intersection of Broadway and North Ferry streets shortly before 6 p.m. Police say they found one piece of crack cocaine in his car and later found a piece of paper with powder cocaine in his pocket. Rose was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.
    Mohonasen school district officials are conducting their own investigation. “At this point, there is no evidence or information to indicate that there was any drug activity on school grounds involving Mohonasen students or staff members,” said Superintendent Kathleen Spring and Principal Debra Male in a letter to parents.
    The statement went on to say that Rose, an eighth-grade English teacher, is not expected to return to the classroom this school year. The district has hired a substitute to take Rose’s place. ................>>>>..................>>>>................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01003&AppName=1

Don't teacher contracts contain morals clauses?  If he is found guilty can't they invoke the morals clause and not have to pay him severance or a settlement and possibly sue for salary paid while on administrative leave?  Even if he didn't do it on school grounds or during school hours, etc., how can a person like this have credibility with students going forward?  They have to get rid of him....but he will wind up in another school district where this incident wil be swept under the rug....until he gets caught again!

What are the parents saying about this????

They can have whatever clauses they want...but they don't stand up against law, and drug addiction is considered an illness/disability and therefore falls under different rules.