TEXAS — A teacher with Livingston Independent School District has been arrested after methamphetamine was discovered inside a junior high classroom, according to the Livingston Police Department.
School administrators at Livingston Junior High School contacted authorities on Thursday, March 12, after finding a suspicious substance on campus. Responding officers identified the substance as methamphetamine and also located items commonly associated with drug use.
During the investigation, officers interviewed witnesses and identified 38-year-old Amanda Stanzel as a person of interest. Police said Stanzel had already been taken to a hospital for treatment at the time.
On Friday, officers interviewed Stanzel and presented the case to Judge Terri Mayer, who found probable cause and issued two arrest warrants.
Authorities said Stanzel was released from the hospital on Wednesday, March 18, and was taken into custody by Livingston Police. She was booked into the Polk County Jail.
Stanzel faces charges of abandoning or endangering a child, elderly or disabled individual, as well as possession of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone.
Police said there is no evidence that any students came into contact with the drugs.
According to jail records, Stanzel was later released Thursday evening after a judge set her total bond at $8,000.
The investigation remains ongoing.
In a statement, the school district said the teacher has been placed on administrative leave and emphasized its commitment to maintaining a safe, drug-free learning environment while cooperating fully with law enforcement.
