TEACHER IN DRUG CASE IN POST-REHABILITATION

Arrest Came While At School

A French Valley kindergarten teacher suspected last year of being
under the influence of cocaine while in class recently finished a
90-day substance-abuse program, her lawyer said Tuesday.

Lynne Marie Filippini, 47, is living on her own and is involved in a
post-rehabilitation program, said defense attorney Steve Harmon.

He said Filippini's two children are living with their father. It is
unclear if her divorce from Angelo Ray Filippini has been finalized.

The French Valley Elementary teacher has pleaded not guilty to three
counts of misdemeanor child endangerment, driving while under the
influence, being under the influence of cocaine and felony cocaine
possession stemming from her two November arrests.

One of the three child-endangerment charges covers all 18 students
in Filippini's class when she was arrested Nov. 8 at school, authorities said.

The two other counts are for endangering her then 11-year-old son
and 8-year-old daughter, who were in her car when she drove to work
on the day of the first arrest, according to court records and authorities.

Temecula police arrested Filippini twice in November.

The first was at school on Nov. 8 for suspicion of teaching while
being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to
Temecula police.

Riverside County prosecutors did not file charges then because they
said more investigation was needed.

She was arrested again on Nov. 10 after police found 13 grams of
cocaine during a search of her home, they said. A drug test later
showed a potentially lethal amount of cocaine in her system, a
prosecutor and toxicology experts said.

Filippini is on a mandatory unpaid leave of absence.

Her next court date is scheduled for April 10.