Steele Canyon High employee arrested for giving alcohol to students – NBC 7 San Diego

An employee at Steele Canyon High School in Spring Valley was accused Tuesday of being drunk on the job and giving alcohol to students.

Sheriff’s investigators arrested 23-year-old Zechariah Oakley, who works as an aide with students in the charter school’s special education program. According to sheriff’s records, Oakley is charged with two counts of enticement of a minor to commit a crime and one count of disorderly conduct while under the influence of alcohol, both of which are misdemeanors.

A parent of one of the students involved told NBC 7 that his son and two other students were sent to the teacher’s assistant’s office, which is connected to the classroom but behind locked doors. He says they were given a clear liquid in a water bottle and only realized it was alcohol after drinking it. Later that day, a teacher discovered the alcohol and reported it, the parent said.

Parents are outraged that the weakest students were the target.

“Bullying, drugs, things like that, peer pressure. It was never on the list of topics I wanted to talk about with my kids,” said mother Sylvia Porter.

In an email sent to Steele Canyon parents on Tuesday, CEO and Principal Scott Parr wrote:

“We immediately notified the parents of the students involved in the incident and released them to their families this afternoon. We are treating the students appropriately as victims.”

“The district is placing the employee on leave pending the outcome of the investigation and will take prompt and appropriate disciplinary action based on the outcome.”

Records from the State Commission on Teacher Credentialing show that Oakley was working with a valid 30-day substitute teaching permit.

“I wonder why on earth would give drugs or alcohol to someone who is capable of doing this. It’s dangerous,” says Hilary Lass, mother.

Parents NBC 7 spoke to give Steele Canyon High School’s administration and staff high marks, but this incident shakes their confidence in the pool of available teachers.

In the email to school district parents, the principal pointed out that Steele Canyon High School’s special education staff is employed by the Grossmont Union High School District.