Former EC teacher pleads not guilty to giving students marijuana and alcohol–copy
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY)- A former Southwest High School teacher pleaded not guilty Tuesday after allegedly giving her students marijuana and alcohol on a weekend camping trip in February 2019.
NBC7 reports at the time, 50-year-old Monique Garcia was tasked with supervising a trip for the school's Outdoor Adventure Club in the Laguna Mountains.
Garcia was charged with the intent to sell to a minor to sell/carry cannabis, furnishing cannabis to a minor over 14, sale of alcoholic beverage to a minor, cruelty to a child by endearing their health and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
According to NBC7, Garcia faces eight years and four months in state prison if convicted of all charges.
Prosecutors say Garcia supplied alcohol and marijuana on the trip. When the group ran out of alcohol and marijuana, she had a 17-year-old student drive her to a dispensary and liquor store to get more.
“This is an example of how you should not teach how you should not educate, how you do not take care of children,” said Deputy District Attorney Steven Marquardt.
The Central Unified School District tells us they are unable to comment on the case, but they say Garcia is no longer an employee of the district.
We spoke to one student who says students are shocked about the incident.
“I don’t know why a teacher would do that. It’s was pretty dumb, a teacher should not act like that with her students. Especially because they are going to find out," said Carlos Rosales, SHS student
Garcia's next court appearance is scheduled for May 11.
