Pubdate: Sat, 10 Feb 2007
Source: Buffalo News (NY)
Copyright: 2007 The Buffalo News
Contact: http://www.buffalo.com/contact-us/submit-editorial.asp
Website: http://www.buffalonews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/61
Author: Bill Michelmore, New Niagara Bureau
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

TEACHER ADMITS SNORTING COCAINE IN CLASS

Fourth-Grade Pupils At Lew-Port School Say They Witnessed Substitute 
Using Drugs

LEWISTON - A substitute teacher who admitted snorting cocaine in 
front of her fourth-grade pupils will be arraigned Feb. 21 in Town 
Court on charges that could send her to jail for up to three years, 
police said Friday.

Joan M. Donatelli, 59, a Lewiston-Porter substitute who lives in the 
Town of Lewiston, has been charged with criminal possession of a 
controlled substance and two counts of endangering the welfare of a 
child. Each count carries fines and up to a year in jail.

Sgt. Frank J. Previte of the Lewiston Police Department said the 
incident occurred Feb. 1 while Donatelli was teaching at the 
Intermediate Education Center in the Lewiston-Porter Central School District.

Two of her pupils said they saw Donatelli use the cap of a pen to 
scoop the contents of a small plastic bag and place it to her nose, 
Previte said. They reported the incident to the principal, Tamara 
Larson, who in turn told Don W. Rappold, interim superintendent of schools.

Lewiston police officers checked the classroom that evening and found 
some trace evidence, Previte said.

When Previte went to Donatelli's house later that evening, she 
admitted doing cocaine in the classroom and disposing of the contents 
of the bag in the school washroom after being interviewed by Rappold.

Donatelli gave police the small plastic bag and two pen caps, which 
tested positive for cocaine in the Niagara County Sheriff's Office 
forensic laboratory, Previte said.

Rappold sent out a letter to parents, assuring them the school 
district is fully cooperating with the authorities, and, pending the 
outcome of the case, the teacher has been banned from the campus.

Telephone calls to Donatelli's house Friday were not returned.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman