Authorities say a Springdale, Arkansas, teacher was recently arrested at school on suspicion of public intoxication. Police say they arrested 59-year-old Janice Dodson last week after other teachers complained of smelling alcohol on her breath. Dodson, who taught English as a Second Language courses at J.O. Kelly Middle School, has resigned.

Mrs. Dodson registered a .192 on a blood-alcohol level test, more than twice the legal limit in Arkansas.

Dodson’s husband, Dennis Dodson, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that his wife is devastated over the arrest. “She’s been a fabulous teacher,” Dennis Dodson said. “She had a couple of beers at lunch, and it was a stupid mistake and she’s paying every day for it.”

I have a question about this. She had a couple of beers at lunch. Did her husband really say that? And, he called it a stupid mistake? What happened to the little containers of milk for lunch? As a child, we had the choice of plain white milk or chocolate milk. I vaguely remember the teachers had an additional choice of sweet or unsweet tea. But, never beer!

Is this a new perk for teachers? Did she bring her own for lunch? (If so, how was it a mistake?) Did she go out and get it during lunch? Did her husband bring it to her?

I’m really not sure what she was thinking! The husband did say that she had been distraught lately since a couple of deaths in her family. I understand distraught and have total sympathy for someone who is distraught. However, drinking on the job is unacceptable, whether at school, in the office place, or digging ditches on the side of the highway.

Got an opinion?