As of the end of last week, one Williamson County Schools teacher assistant is suspended without pay after showing up to school under the influence of alcohol.
Superintendent Mike Looney wrote a letter to Longview Elementary School literary teaching assistant Colleen Molnar to inform her of the the suspension. According to the Aug. 24 letter, Looney wrote the principal observed Molnar under the influence.
According to the Williamson board policy, no employee can possess or use alcohol or drugs in the workplace.
Molnar, according to her personal file, earned her degree at the University of Ohio. She started her teaching career in the early 90s and with WCS in 2010 after applying for a substitute teacher position. She transferred from that to a fourth grade, to teacher’s assistant and then to part-time literacy coach.
In an Aug. 29 letter addressed to Looney, Molnar tried to explain the situation.
“About two weeks ago, I started drinking at night,” she wrote. “I’m sure it’s started to affect my work. I woke up at 5 a.m. with extreme discomfort. Not able to fall asleep, I started to drink (bad idea) to fall back asleep and take away the pain. I knew it was a horrible decision on my part in which I am truly embarrassed and horrified with myself.”
The letter describes her taking a breathalyzer test several times. She noted she took it six times. She said she was surprised at how high her blood alcohol level was and felt it was inaccurate.
According to Looney, Molnar admitted to lying in the Aug. 29 letter.
In a follow-up letter with no date, Molnar apologized, noting she was scared.
“With ––––, my balance and speech may be off at times,” she wrote. “When Leslie came down to tell you, I lost my balance; I was wearing a shoe that had a broken strap on one side, and I slid and out turned my ankle. I don’t believe it was related to drinking. Yes, I was in the room with students, along with several other teachers, but no interacting with students. They were doing the STAR test. In hindsight, I should have stuck to Motrin.”
The incident with Molnar is under investigation. If she were to face firing, the decision would go before the Williamson County School Board.
Emily West covers Franklin and Williamson County government and schools for Home Page Media Group. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter via @emwest22.
She should be fired…otherwise, the students think it’s ok to drink, before school.