A special education teacher was arrested at the Madawaska Elementary School last week when she was allegedly found with multiple forms of illegal drugs in her car. Her car is also involved in another ongoing investigation.
The school department hung up on The Maine Wire when we called for more details.
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On June 8, the Madawaska Police Department responded to a report of suspicious activity involving a vehicle on the Madawaska Elementary School grounds.
Though the incident took place on June 8, no information was released until Wednesday.
The Madawaska School Department granted the police full authorization for a law enforcement investigation on school property.
Police arrived with K9 Luka, who was deployed to perform a free air drug sniff around the vehicle.
The dog reportedly identified the smell of illicit drugs coming from the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle allegedly revealed 5.8 grams of an unspecified drug with an estimated street value of approximately $500 as well as an unspecified quantity of controlled substance pills.
Officers learned that the vehicle belonged to school employee Andrea Hebert, 41. Police identified her as an employee of the elementary school but did not specify what her position was.
The incident took place during the school year.
She was arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance but was released on bail on the same day. The police department did not pick up when The Maine Wire called to request a booking photo.
Police also learned that Hebert’s vehicle was allegedly involved in another law enforcement matter that remains part of an ongoing broader investigation
According to the school’s current website, she is a special education teacher at the middle/high school. That page remained active as of Thursday afternoon, though her page on the staff directory has been deleted.
The Maine Wire reached out to the Madawaska School Department for comment on Hebert’s arrest, but they immediately said “no comment” before quickly hanging up. The Maine Wire was unable to ask whether she remains employed by the school before they abruptly ended the call.
It is not clear whether parents were notified of the situation, why the school department has issued no public statement, or why the police department waited for over a week to publish information on the arrest.
Multiple Facebook users suggested that this is not the first incident Hebert has been involved in and that the school was aware of her alleged drug problem. The Maine Wire was unable to confirm those allegations with the school because they refused to speak with us.
I am old and recall that school was simpler: No kindergarten, grades 1 to 6, 20 to 24 students in a class. That meant six teachers for the whole school, a principle, a secretary and two custodians. “Special ed techs” had not been invented. There were no cooks as there was no kitchen. We went home for lunch by foot or on our bikes. I can only recall one or two students who were held back one year, one time, and they were young for their class. Not sure that I see that all the very expensive “improvements” have lead to much improvement.