BARRE TOWN, Vt. — A 47-year-old substitute teacher, identified as Melissa Martin, has been issued a citation after she was found in possession of cocaine inside Barre Town Middle & Elementary School, Vermont authorities confirm.
The incident occurred on October 1, 2025, at around 10:49 a.m. local time, when a student alerted school staff about Martin’s unusual behavior in the classroom.
School administrators confronted Martin, who allegedly admitted to having cocaine in her jacket pocket, which was later located within the classroom she was teaching.
Law enforcement officers, with assistance from a K-9 unit, searched both her jacket and backpack and detected narcotics. The substance tested presumptively positive for cocaine.
Martin was removed from the classroom before police arrived. Officials say no students were harmed during the incident.
She has been cited on charges of possession of cocaine and reckless endangerment, given the alleged presence of controlled substances in a school environment.
The Barre Unified Union School District confirmed that Martin is no longer present at the school while personnel decisions are under way.
