Pubdate: Fri, 25 Aug 2000
Source: Augusta Chronicle, The (GA)
Copyright: 2000 The Augusta Chronicle
Contact:  (LTEs from GA & SC only)
Address: 725 Broad Street, Augusta, GA 30901
Website: http://www.augustachronicle.com/
Author: Ashlee Griggs

ARREST SHOCKS TEACHER'S FRIENDS

Those close to her find it incomprehensible that educator, Bible club
sponsor faces drug charges

To many people, Deborah Foley is a kind, caring, Christian teacher and
mother. But her arrest last week portrayed a side of the Westside High
School teacher some say they find hard to believe.

The 45-year-old woman, who led Bible classes and held church meetings 
in her home, was arrested after Columbia County deputies raided her 
Oakbrook house in Martinez, seizing $616 in cash, marijuana plants, 
bags of marijuana and 30 MDMA pills - known as "Ecstasy."  

"She's the last person you would have ever thought of," said Randi 
Smith, a former student of Mrs. Foley at Silver Bluff High School. "She 
was always trying to help the kids," she said.  

Mrs. Foley was charged with felony manufacturing marijuana, felony 
possession of a schedule one narcotic and misdemeanor possession of 
marijuana. Her 17-year-old daughter, Erin, was arrested with her mother 
and faces the same charges. Six others, including two juveniles, also 
were arrested.  

Police aren't releasing many details of the case, but they said they 
have evidence to back up their charges.  

"Our investigation, including the search of her residence, concluded 
that Mrs. Foley was involved in criminal activity and was aware of 
activities occurring in her residence," Capt. Steve Morris said.  

But that's not the woman people close to her say she is. And they want 
to know why.  

Mrs. Foley has been teaching in the Augusta area for seven years, 
according to school officials. She has taught at Silver Bluff High 
School, Tubman Middle School and at Westside for the past three years.  

At Westside she taught home economics classes, including child care, 
and worked with the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes club.  

At Silver Bluff she served as faculty sponsor for the Bible club, of 
which Ms. Smith, now 19 and a college student, served as president her 
junior year.  

"She would give up her lunch hour to talk with kids who had problems," 
Ms. Smith said. "She tried to help so many people."  

Most of her friends, colleagues, former colleagues and former students 
wouldn't talk openly about Mrs. Foley, preferring to believe that there 
was some other explanation for what happened Aug. 18. But privately 
they expressed dismay and confusion at what happened.  

"I would have never expected this from her," said Kelli Edmunds, 16, 
who took a home economics class taught by Mrs. Foley last summer at 
Westside.  

Neighbors described her as a friendly woman who kept a beautiful lawn - 
until six weeks ago.  

That's when neighbors said Mrs. Foley's husband, Mike, moved out of the 
family's home and streams of cars full of teens began filing in and out 
of the home.  

The sheriff's office received several complaints from residents 
concerning the traffic in the neighborhood, particularly at the Foley 
home, Capt. Morris said.  

Now, neighbors feel a black mark has been placed on the neighborhood 
and friends remain baffled at the charges.  

"She was the most encouraging, positive, uplifting person I've ever met
in my entire life," said James Moyer, who was vice president of the
Bible club Mrs. Foley helped lead. "I really believe somehow, someway
she really had no clue it was going on." 
- ---
MAP posted-by: John Chase