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Teacher Faces Drug Charges

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Posted: 7:51 PM Jul 16, 2008
Last Updated: 9:15 PM Jul 16, 2008
Reporter: Dave Jordan

36 comments

A | A | A

A Carteret County teacher is in trouble with the law after authorities say they found marijuana in her house.

Salley Anne Whitchurch has been a math teacher at Newport Middle school. She's been with the school system since 1995. Alcohol Law Enforcement agents found the marijuana inside her Newport home Wednesday.

Whitchurch is charged with possession of marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for growing the drug.

No word from the school system yet whether Whitchurch's employment status has changed.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: To Lola on Jul 20, 2008 at 11:47 AM
I am not from NC, but I do live here. I cannot agree with you more! I cannot wait to move because I don't want my children to have to go to school here any longer than they have. I am not trying to offend North Carolinians. I am simply not satisfied with the level of education offered in the school districts here. I expect more for my kids. I cannot stand the thought of one of my children saying to me one day, "It weren't me, Mama." I hear that so often and it disgusts me.

Posted by: to "and"... Location: g-ville on Jul 20, 2008 at 09:57 AM
I hate when people put down public education and teachers and choose to homeschool their children. i hope you realize your precious little angels will be NO WHERE NEAR ready to enter the "real" world. The more you shelter your children, the more of a shocker it's going to be to them when they go to college, if they make it, or get out in the work force. I'm going to school to be a teacher, and I think teachers do a heck of a job with what they are given, and with the lack of support due to individuals like yourself, we are forced to do this job with very limited help and money. most of us go into teaching to help, not to be the bad guy.

Posted by: tarheel Location: carteret county on Jul 18, 2008 at 11:30 PM
look people marijuana has been on this planet since before man ever set foot on it,it was used in medicine back in the 1920,s and 30,s it wasn,t until the 1937 that the drug became illegal and the reason back then was not that it got you high but that the federal goverment was trying to stop the flow of illegal mexicans that was taking jobs from people back at that time, how can the federal goverment pass a law against marijuana when they themselves are growing the most powerful marijuana in the world right on the university of mississippi it is called the U.S.Goverment Marijuana research Facility,the marijuana is named G-13 it,s THC content or potency is measured at 25 % that makes it the strongest in the world,look people marijuana is a 10.5 billon dollar illegal business now don,t you think the federal goverment would love to control it and get it,s hands on that money. now show me a person that is drying from cancer in the hospital from marijuana?

Posted by: glen Location: greenville on Jul 18, 2008 at 09:14 PM
You can not speak bad about her look at peaden "member of the board of education" case where stolen guns and drugs were found. Some system we have.

Posted by: Obama 08 4 Prez! on Jul 18, 2008 at 05:20 PM
To:Posted by: Lola Location: out of country on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:19 AM.....LOLOLOL

Posted by: Matt on Jul 18, 2008 at 03:41 PM
bet a student knew she had it, asked for some, and she turned them down. Then they turned her in! : )

Posted by: and... on Jul 18, 2008 at 09:16 AM
I should add that along w/ MJ recipes, there were teachers handing out cigarettes and turning their heads when we drank alcohol in Mountain Dew bottles- Right here in Eastern NC. I don't think pot should be illegal, but my kids are homeschooled.

Posted by: Lola Location: out of country on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:19 AM
I do not know whether this woman is guilty or not as yet. What I do know, as is evident in the comments here, is that there must be a lot of English teachers in your state on some type of drugs....the poor grammar, spelling and sentence structure that is supposedly coming from adults is atrocious.

Posted by: teacher Location: Martin CO. on Jul 17, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Teachers often get a bad wrap b/c we are such public figures. Most of us try to set good examples for our students. Just look at how many of us there are. I am surprised we don't see more stories like this about teachers. People take negative stories and run w/ them. What about reporting on the good that goes on in our schools? The news media doesn't b/c that's not what "Joe Public" wants to hear. I agree that those who break the rules should be punished, but don't run the rest of us in the ground. Our job is hard enough without all of the gossip and back biting. By the way, I've been teaching 10 years and have had 2 random drug tests. We do get tested and we are watched... believe me.

Posted by: parent Location: carteret county on Jul 17, 2008 at 10:06 PM
The kids at the local high school have known about this for a long time. I definetely don't condone this but when will we learn that this war on drugs is a farce? Has anything really changed in the last 20 years?

Posted by: Mike on Jul 17, 2008 at 07:37 PM
How did they find it?....What were they doing at her house

Posted by: Think about your kid in school Location: wilson on Jul 17, 2008 at 06:30 PM
If you are a teacher you need to be a good exaple So why try to protect?

Posted by: I Agree with Tim Location: soon to be comunist country on Jul 17, 2008 at 05:59 PM
I agree with Tim....what is so free about this country? You are told what to do, when to do it and how much to do. You are told not to use certain words, you are made to wear a seatbelt. The government tells you at what age you are old enough to buy a cig. You can fight for your country at the age of 18 but your not old enough to buy a beer or cig, not saying that I think it's ok to do it at this age just making a point of how this is not a free country....dictators run this country and it's all about MONEY and POWER! I say leave the teacher alone and worry about things of more importance.

Posted by: Cactus Location: Strabane, NC on Jul 17, 2008 at 05:47 PM
I'm with J of new burn, why were they in the house? Anytime you take in a substance that alters you mentaly or phycialy you are asking for trouble. NO to "weed, pot" etc...

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 17, 2008 at 05:42 PM
To W in Newport....Look at all the parents doing things that are not legal...they out number teachers by far.....A parents job is much more important than a teachers...is it not the parents place first to set an example for their own children.......That's the problem now a days parents want to put the responsibility of teaching their child right from wrong on the teacher. As long as that teacher did her job well and did not smoke pot while at work or teach the kids about pot what's the big deal....it's her business what she does while not at work.....Also I agree with the other poster...If I had to spend an entire day shut up in a room with disrespectful kids I'd probably want to smoke to...........witn tell the rest of the story....why were the police at her house to begin with?

Posted by: j Location: new bern on Jul 17, 2008 at 03:59 PM
why were they in the house to begin with? the story is lacking in details. i tend to agree with most of you...marijuana is far less harmful to our society than cigarettes, alcohol and misused prescription medications.

Posted by: funny Location: nc on Jul 17, 2008 at 01:15 PM
This is not how I would want to be remembered by the public, but it might shed some light onto the fact that we need some pay raises in the teaching field!!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 17, 2008 at 12:56 PM
It's just pot. How many people rob others to support their weed smoking habit? Focus on drugs that are ripping apart families and killing people everyday...Meth, Heroin, Crack, etc. I'd need to smoke pot at the end of my day, too, after teaching disrespectful, unparented middle school students. Maybe if everyone smoked alittle something every now and then, the world would be a better place since so many people wouldn't be as uptight and judgemental as they are when sober.

Posted by: Out weighed Location: Greenville on Jul 17, 2008 at 12:40 PM
The "only" reason that stuff is illegal is because the government isnt getting their cut! Plus it's highly profitable for the government to take money from "offenders"

Posted by: Dale Location: Newport on Jul 17, 2008 at 12:32 PM
I hadher as my math teacher two years ago. She was the best math teacher I have ever had. I was shocked to learn this.

Posted by: Sarah Location: Newport on Jul 17, 2008 at 11:30 AM
C'mon people..its pot who cares AND anyone who knows this family knows that she is suffering because of her son

Posted by: W Location: Newport on Jul 17, 2008 at 10:49 AM
You know I can not believe some of the comments made here. We are talking about a teacher. I don't care how good of a teacher she may be. She is still breaking the law. Whether it was her or another family member who was allowing it in the home. She was responsible for it. Until the law is changed that is the way it is. I am so tired of seeing "teachers" now plastered all over our news about the things they are doing. I do not understand it. Teaching is such an important position to take on. They are suppose to set an example to our kids. But yet what do we now see that some are setting before our kids. I really hope that other teachers who read about this teacher will take a hard look at what kind of life they are leading for our kids in school and make choices to correct it before they also are on the front page!

Posted by: Jes Location: Robersonville on Jul 17, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Should this be news? When I was in H.S. we had teachers buying off of students...not just marijuana. Also if it's her son's then I feel for her... them finding the growing plants mean the seizure of her home-just b/c her son. I hope that justice prevails, but not at the expense of what might be an innocent woman's life! Good teachers are HARD to come by.

Posted by: F Location: the hill-Carteret County on Jul 17, 2008 at 09:51 AM
I believe its time all teachers in carteret county get a drug test.

Posted by: Booyow Location: Martin Co on Jul 17, 2008 at 08:58 AM
I wonder what caused the police to check her house to begin with? Do the drugs belong to her or maybe her kid? Who knows but in any event, im sure you'll find out and an update will be posted. If the teachers arent malesting, they're druggin--Home School anyone? Alot of people are under a great deal of stress and maybe she was using it to help her. Where she at, i might need to meet up with her cause im under a lot of stress myself.

Posted by: Tim Location: Kinston on Jul 17, 2008 at 08:38 AM
I'm with Ben and Lisa! and Victor, your funny! Marijuana is grown from Mother Earth and has been around for centuries. I laugh at the fact that they call this a "free country" yet there is a law for everything. Free Country - Nothing! It's a dictatorship handed down from Congress! As long as all congress members can break the laws though!

Posted by: Funny Location: Engelhard on Jul 17, 2008 at 07:20 AM
The very opposite should be checked at Mattamuskeet School, Bet there's not many teachers there not using some kind of drug.maybe we should start busting them for NOT using!

Posted by: T on Jul 17, 2008 at 07:19 AM
There is worse things in the world then this. I say as long as she ain't coming to school high if she wants to smoke it let her. It shouldn't be illegal probably does less damage to your body then cigarettes do and it does have some medicinal effect on people who are in pain. And please if it was her child caught with it in her house then I'm quite sure she had no clue or had suspicion but no evidence heck even Cosby had Marijuana in his house when Theo's friend put a joint in his book on the Cosby show that could have gotten the dad arrested ROFL

Posted by: David Location: Manteo on Jul 17, 2008 at 01:56 AM
You know what irks me? That students in schools are being forced to take random drug tests and none of these teachers or school staff members are even being considered for drug testing! It seems as though the teachers and staff should be drug tested more than students...There are more teachers and staff getting caught with drugs than students are here lately...Test the sources not the suspicions..

Posted by: Jazmane on Jul 16, 2008 at 11:41 PM
I had Mrs.Whitchurch as a teacher my 8th grade year and she is a wonderful women and teacher. I dont think she should have to suffer for what her son was doing.

Posted by: Lisa Location: NC on Jul 16, 2008 at 11:06 PM
We all would be shocked to know the ones that are growing,using,and selling, marijuana but today that's nuthing compared to the other drugs that are out there..I have to agree with Ben Cannibus is not evil,lets worry about the others such as crack, and herion..

Posted by: rukdg Location: greenville on Jul 16, 2008 at 10:06 PM
it does not matter if it is her sons or not she lives there, she is in control of her house. you know the old saying, know who your friends are, better yet knowyour sons if thats the case. how did they find out about the drugs

Posted by: victor Location: Washington on Jul 16, 2008 at 09:40 PM
If i had to teach a bunch of middle school students i would need something harder that marijuana.lol.

Posted by: Ben Location: Bethel on Jul 16, 2008 at 09:25 PM
She's probably a very good teacher. This is definitely a very bad law. Stop believing the propoganda, people. Cannibus helps to relieve stress and pain. It is not EVIL. Our president calls it a "gateway drug". He says this while sipping on the "TRUE" gateway drug, which is legal to anyone over 21 years of age. America, where our freedom's grow fewer and fewer and our politicians grow ever more ignorant. I can only pray that these things will soon change. But, heck, I've been praying for that for about 35 years. I never would have thought that the ignorance about a plant given to us by God would still be so misunderstood.

Posted by: Wayne Location: Newport on Jul 16, 2008 at 09:08 PM
Could it possibly be one of her teenaged sons?????? Before jumping to conclusions, lets find all the facts.

Posted by: Question on Jul 16, 2008 at 08:56 PM
Can you get a picture? I believe I had this lady as a teacher.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 16, 2008 at 08:14 PM
What is wrong with these teachers?

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