A former Montgomery County public school teacher was charged with distributing cocaine to a child, authorities said Tuesday.
Theresa Cunningham Duarte, 44, of Rockville, taught English at Wootton High School for four years until she resigned this summer.
She has been charged with two counts of cocaine distribution. Duarte was released from the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville after posting $150,000 bond. County police said there was “concern” Duarte had sold drugs to other students.
Michael Doran, the principal at Wootton, sent a letter to parents today alerting them of the arrest. He said the alleged drug sales did not take place on school grounds, and that no evidence of drug activity at the school had surfaced.
The school had no indication of the alleged drug sales at the time Duarte resigned, soon after the end of last school year, Doran said in the letter to parents. He said that it was “unfortunate” that the arrest “marred” the opening of the school year. He urged any parent or student who had information about illegal drug activity to contact authorities.
