- Teacher believed to have been drunk in class won’t be charged because he didn’t break any laws
A 57-year-old second-grade teacher who was arrested for allegedly teaching while intoxicated will not face charges due to lack of evidence.
Wendy Munson, 57, was arrested on Oct. 2, 2023, after Sutter County sheriff’s deputies were alerted to a staff member who appeared intoxicated at Nuestro Elementary School in Live Oak, north of Sacramento, California.
Despite the arrest, prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove a crime had been committed.
‘The mere possibility that a situation may arise is insufficient to meet the requirements established by law. “While teaching under the influence is highly inappropriate, unfortunately it is not illegal,” the district attorney’s office said.
Wendy Munson, 57, was arrested for allegedly teaching while intoxicated, but prosecutors announced she will not face charges due to lack of evidence.
Munson was arrested on October 2 after Sutter County sheriff’s deputies were alerted that Munson appeared drunk at Nuestro Elementary School in Live Oak, California.
“The behavior is reprehensible,” said Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupré. “But it does not violate the penal code to teach children when they are drunk.”
“The behavior is reprehensible,” said Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupré. “But it does not violate the penal code to teach children when they are drunk.”
Officers arrived at the school and entered Munson’s class, where he appeared to be slurring his words and showing signs of having drunk the bottle.
Video evidence was also provided of her driving to school and then failing a field sobriety test.
She was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and endangering a child.
Later tests even revealed that his blood alcohol level was 0.20% and 0.19%, well above the legal limit of 0.08% for drivers in California.
But after an eight-month investigation, prosecutors announced that no charges would be filed.
Video footage of Munson driving to school did not conclusively prove she was intoxicated, as she showed no obvious signs of being under the influence after exiting her car.
Munson was a second-grade teacher but her name has been removed from the school’s website.
“She doesn’t get out of the car or fall or anything, so that didn’t help us,” Dupré told the Los Angeles Times.
The investigation included interviews with current and former Munson students, but also could not establish whether she was drunk while driving to work or if she began drinking at school.
Prosecutors also failed to meet the legal criteria for the child endangerment charge.
“There is no specific information to indicate that children in Munson’s class were placed in a situation in which their person or health was in danger,” prosecutors’ officials explained.
“The person has to have put them in a position where they are in danger, not in a position where they could be in danger,” Dupré said.
‘We tried because I don’t like the behavior. “It is not acceptable, but unfortunately it is not a crime.”
The incident is now considered a personnel matter for the school and district.
‘I thought it was crazy. I think she should have called out of work,” mother Kaitlynn Conley told CBS News while picking up a student in Munson. “I know people have fun on the weekends, but that was definitely not okay as an educator.”
The district website no longer lists Munson as a current teacher.
