A recent incident in New Jersey has taken the nation by surprise. A middle school art teacher at Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield, NJ, was found overdosing in a classroom.
Frank Thompson, a 57–year–old teacher at the middle school, was found unconscious and unresponsive in a second–floor classroom on Nov. 29, 2022, according to the Westfield Police Department.
Police said Thompson was first observed in distress by students and was actively being treated by a school nurse when officers arrived.
A responding police officer immediately recognized signs that indicated the teacher was overdosing on drugs and injected him with naloxone hydrochloride, or Narcan, that he carries on his person, cops said.
Thompson quickly showed signs of improvement, according to police.
During a following investigation, police discovered fentanyl and other paraphernalia in the teacher’s classroom closet.
In Thompson’s bio for the school, it states, “Mr. Thompson has a B.A. in Art Education from Kean University. He has been teaching in Westfield for ten years, first at the elementary level and now Middle school. He is currently looking into pursuing his Masters in Computer Arts. ”
Thompson was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, endangering the welfare of children, and a disorderly person offense, police said.
Thompson is scheduled to appear in court on Feb 1.
A statement released by the Westfield Police Department said, “The Westfield Police Department continues to prioritize its ongoing partnership with the Westfield Public School System to ensure it has the safety and security resources it needs on a daily basis,” said Chief Christopher Battiloro. “In this case, the swift actions of Officer Riga, who is on-site at Roosevelt Intermediate each school day, proved instrumental in maintaining the safety of the students and administering potentially life-saving measures to Mr. Thompson.”
Superintendent Dr. Raymond González said, “While the Westfield Public School District cannot comment on personnel matters which are confidential, we will maintain a continued focus on student and staff safety and on preserving the integrity of the classroom learning environment. We are grateful for our strong partnership with the Westfield Police Department.”
