WESTFIELD, NJ – A Westfield school teacher overdosed on drugs while at school at Roosevelt Intermediate School, police reported.
Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro reported that a 57-year-old teacher at Roosevelt Intermediate School has been charged with drug-related crimes and offenses, as well as endangering the welfare of children, following a November incident that occurred in his classroom.
At around 9 am on November 29th, police responded after School Resource Officer Fortunato Rigo found art teacher Frank Thompson on the floor of his classroom suffering from an apparent drug overdose.
Rigo rushed to the second-floor classroom to find Thompson being treated by the school nurse after being informed by a school administrator.
He administered Narcan, which reversed the effects of the drugs on the teacher’s body. He became aware and showed signs of improvement.
During their investigation, detectives found that Thompson stashed his drugs and paraphernalia inside a closet in his classroom.
He was charged with multiple drug charges and endangering the welfare of a child. He was served with a summons and is due to appear in court on February 1st.
“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.”
The district would not provide Thompon’s current employment status.
“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,” said Superintendent Dr. Raymond González.