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Elementary teacher suspended, accused of being high on drugs during class

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Lake County school leaders voted Monday to suspend an elementary school teacher accused of trying to teach third graders while she was high on drugs, WFTV learned.

Officials said the incident happened on Sept. 12 at Treadway Elementary in Leesburg.

Elizabeth Edmonds, a third-grade teacher, was so high that the school principal noticed, according to officials.

The district drug tested her immediately. Officials said she tested positive for marijuana and opiates, a class of drugs which include Vicodin, morphine, heroin and codeine.

"To hear that she's doing drugs herself and going to school and being responsible for a whole classroom of students all day, it's just shocking," said Keith Douglas, a grandfather of one of Edmond's former students.

Douglas said his grandson had Edmonds as a teacher two years ago. He said his grandson had problems with her and the boy's family even pulled him out of her classroom.

"To think that when my grandson was in her class, that she was may be high on these drugs, you never know what could happen," said Douglas.

District officials said they had not had any problems with Edmonds before.

Officials said Edmonds had been at Treadway Elementary for three years.

WFTV's Kenenth Craig learned the Lake County School Board voted to suspend the teacher without pay, and they eventually plan to fire her.

Edmonds wasn't arrested, but has been off the job since the incident, according to officials.

WFTV stopped by her home on Monday night to get her side of the story, but no one answered the door.