BLACKWELL, OK -- A nine-month investigation into an alleged Kay County drug ring has led to the arrest of a Kansas school teacher. Authorities say the suspect, 61-year-old Clell Posey, had been selling drugs to a Blackwell resident for about five years.
Posey, a 32 year veteran of the Wichita, Kansas school district, had been a social studies teacher at Arkansas Avenue Gateway Alternative School in Wichita; a school for kids who have been expelled or suspended from other schools.
"It's completely horrible that someone who would deal drugs, illegal narcotics, would be in our school system," says Blackwell Police Chief Fred LeValley.
LeValley says after their investigation identified Posey as a dealer, undercover agents caught him trying to sell a pound of marijuana at a truck stop in Braman, Saturday night.
"When Mr. Posey was arrested, he was in possession of five bags of cocaine," LeValley says.
Police say the intended recipient was 50-year-old Mark Short of Blackwell, who was also arrested Saturday following a search of his home.
At Posey's home in Wichita, police say they found over a pound of marijuana, methamphetamine, $1,700 in cash and 17 firearms.
In the teachers' union contract with the district, there are no routine or random drug tests for teachers after they've been hired.
However, the United Teachers of Wichita has a policy which allows for testing, based on suspicion.
"Then they (administrators) can request that the teacher go to the district doctor and do a drug test," says UTW President Larry Landwehr.
However, Wichita school district officials say they've had no indication that Posey was ever involved with illegal drugs.
Posey has been suspended with pay pending criminal charges, including Delivery of CDS and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute.
He was being held at the Kay County jail.
Posey, a 32 year veteran of the Wichita, Kansas school district, had been a social studies teacher at Arkansas Avenue Gateway Alternative School in Wichita; a school for kids who have been expelled or suspended from other schools.
"It's completely horrible that someone who would deal drugs, illegal narcotics, would be in our school system," says Blackwell Police Chief Fred LeValley.
LeValley says after their investigation identified Posey as a dealer, undercover agents caught him trying to sell a pound of marijuana at a truck stop in Braman, Saturday night.
"When Mr. Posey was arrested, he was in possession of five bags of cocaine," LeValley says.
Police say the intended recipient was 50-year-old Mark Short of Blackwell, who was also arrested Saturday following a search of his home.
At Posey's home in Wichita, police say they found over a pound of marijuana, methamphetamine, $1,700 in cash and 17 firearms.
In the teachers' union contract with the district, there are no routine or random drug tests for teachers after they've been hired.
However, the United Teachers of Wichita has a policy which allows for testing, based on suspicion.
"Then they (administrators) can request that the teacher go to the district doctor and do a drug test," says UTW President Larry Landwehr.
However, Wichita school district officials say they've had no indication that Posey was ever involved with illegal drugs.
Posey has been suspended with pay pending criminal charges, including Delivery of CDS and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute.
He was being held at the Kay County jail.
