LEXINGTON, S.C. — A Lexington County elementary school teacher has been arrested after authorities say she kept cannabis-based candies in a student prize box in her classroom.
The Lexington County Sheriff's Office said that they became involved in the case on Sept.23 after being told that a Rocky Creek Elementary School student had picked a pack of marijuana edibles out of a box of candy used to reward students.
Sheriff Jay Koon said that detectives later confirmed during interviews that the teacher, 27-year-old Victoria Farish Weiss, had taken the pack from the box and told the student to pick something else. However, the sheriff said the student then ended up picking another pack of edibles.
Despite this, the sheriff's office insisted neither this student nor others had ingested any of the laced candies at the time.
A warranted search of the teacher's home later uncovered packs of similar edibles Sheriff Koon provided a warning to parents and the community in general regarding the candies, which are cannabis-based.
"They’re often packaged in wrappers and bags with logos and colors that look similar to traditional candy brands," he said. "While they are available in other states and online, they’re illegal in South Carolina.”
Weiss has since been charged with possession of a Schedule I drug and is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center.
Since her arrest, Lexington County School District One has released a statement regarding the arrest of Weiss, adding that school officials immediately notified law enforcement and placed her on administrative leave.
Both the school and the district are currently cooperating with the investigation according to the statement.
“It is unacceptable for a staff member to potentially threaten the wellbeing of a child. We will continue to work to ensure all of our children have a safe environment to learn and grow," Superintendent Dr. Gregg Little said in a written response, Friday. "Rocky Creek Elementary has a sterling reputation which will not be tarnished by the actions of one person.”
Authorities said Weiss no longer works for Lexington District One as of Oct. 13.
