EAST COUNTY EAST COUNTY — A 23-year-old special education aide was arrested on suspicion of being intoxicated and supplying alcohol to students on campus Tuesday after his “suspicious behavior” was noticed and reported by a teacher, school and sheriff’s officials said.
The aide was booked into county jail after being arrested by a school resource officer assigned to Steele Canyon High School in an unincorporated area near Jamul, said sheriff’s Sgt. Gerardo Mateus. This is the last week of school before summer break.
News of the arrest was relayed to parents through a note sent out by school CEO/Principal Scott Parr, who referred to the arrest as “a very unfortunate incident.”
He said one of the school’s special education teachers had noticed the aide was acting oddly and alerted school administrators, who notified law enforcement.
The aide was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct/being under the influence of alcohol, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Parr said. The charges are misdemeanors.
“We immediately notified the parents of the students involved in the incident and released them to their families this afternoon. We are appropriately treating the students as victims,” Parr said.
Steele Canyon is a charter school. Its special education staff are employees of the Grossmont Union High School District.
Parr said the district placed the employee on leave, pending completion of an investigation.
“Rest assured … that this matter is being taken very seriously, as there is nothing more important to us than the safety of our students,” the principal wrote.
