CVUSD responds after teachers arrested for being drunk in class
The Coachella Valley Unified School District is responding to concerns following the arrest of two teachers just weeks apart for being drunk on campus during school hours.
On September 30, 2022, 43-year-old Marcos Jesus Espinoza was arrested for public intoxication, possession of alcohol on school grounds, and child endangerment.
Records show he's expected to appear in court in January.
Authorities with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department say the teacher had been drinking in class.
Espinoza is listed as a fourth grade teacher on the website of the school he teaches at.
Authorities say he was arrested after a student reported that his conduct scared classmates.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s department did not name the school, however, John Kelley Elementary School is in the area where the department says deputies responded.
This incident comes less than 3 weeks after another Thermal teacher was arrested under similar circumstances.
Deputies arrested 44-year-old Brian Dennis Nichols on September 12, 2022. He is due in court in December.
Although the Sheriff’s Department didn’t name that school either, Toro Canyon Middle School matches the area deputies say the incident occurred at.
Both men were released on bail the same day of their arrests.
A CVUSD spokeswoman would not confirm if either teacher is still teaching, only saying they can’t discuss personnel matters.
We received a statement that says, “this is not commonplace and there are no signs that it is becoming commonplace. Two employees only represent 0.001% of our entire employee population (2/2000 staff members = .001 x 100%). These two incidents are isolated events and and not a trend or something that seems to show that it will be commonplace.”
It also points to resources available to staff for anyone dealing with stress and anxiety, as well as addiction.
Our students' safety is one of our top priorities that's why as a District we ensure that our staff has the assistance they need whenever they are facing problems affecting their everyday lives.
All CVUSD employees have access to an Employee Assistance Program which is a 24/7 resource for finding support for them and all their household members. Employees have access to a confidential 24/7 hotline that they can find on the back of their insurance card, on our websites, and their place of work. Employees are also reminded of this free service through the school year to ensure that new and seasoned employees are aware of this free service. Some of the services offered by the EAP are:
Coachella Valley Unified School District
- Skills to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression
- Addiction and recovery guidance
- Grief and loss of resources
- Digital tools to support emotional health and well-being
- In-person or virtual visits with a licensed counselor (6 free counseling sessions per year per problem
Employees can access these services by calling the hotline number 800-999-7222, visiting our website or speaking to their school administrator. We encourage all of our staff to seek these free services whenever possible.
WHERE TO FIND ON WEBSITE: HUMAN RESOURCES TAB OR SEARCH EAP
Click in link and go to Employee Assistance Program for list of resources offered
- https://www.cvusd.us/departments/human-resources/risk-management/benefits
- https://www.anthem.com/provider/eap/
The incidents come as people continue to struggle with substance abuse problems either sparked by, or made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve this year seen more people call us for help and more people admit to help than we have in our 40 year history, according to Tessa Voss, Vice President of the California Region region and Administrator of the Betty Ford Center for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.
Voss said most patients that choose to get help have experienced consequences that lead them to reach out for help.
Watch News Channel 3 at 5:00 p.m. tonight for the full story.
