POLICE: TEACHER LET KIDS MAKE DRUG EQUIPMENT

Abingdon Woman Set To Appear In Court Today

ABINGDON - An Abingdon High School teacher accused of allowing
students to make drug paraphernalia in metal shop class is to appear
today in Knox County court.

Rebecca A. Boswell, 45, of 306 N. Main in Abingdon was arrested Monday
and charged with felony contributing to the criminal delinquency of a
juvenile, Police Chief William Robinson said.

Boswell gave a letter of resignation to School District 217 and was
taken to the county jail.

School Superintendent Magie Roberts said Boswell joined the staff last
August as an industrial technology teacher after working in private
industry.

Robinson said Abingdon police searched the high school March 1 with
drug dogs from the Knox County and Mercer County sheriff's departments
and the Kewanee Police Department. The sweep led to the arrest of one
student for possession of less than 2.5 grams of marijuana.

After the March 1 sweep and arrest, numerous students told police that
a shop teacher was allowing some students to make drug paraphernalia
in the metal shop class, Robinson said.

Police gave the information to school officials, who asked for an
investigation.

"We want all of our teachers and adults in the building to be good
role models for our students," Roberts said.

After students gave statements, Robinson interviewed Boswell. He said
she admitted allowing paraphernalia to be taken from the shop class.

Asked what kind of paraphernalia was being made, Robinson said, "in
general terms, hitter pipes and hitter boxes." He declined to say how
many.

Police caught a student with a hitter pipe at the high school about
seven weeks ago. The student had been telling others, "Hey, here's a
hitter pipe I made in shop class," Robinson said.

Boswell was questioned but denied any knowledge of the pipe, Robinson
said. The student did not implicate her at that time.

But after March 1, the student said Boswell watched him make the pipe
and inspected it when he was done, Robinson said.

The chief said police will continue to interview students at the high
school for the next few weeks.

"The teachers and staff have been very helpful and very cooperative
with us in trying to eradicate drugs," Robinson said.

"I think it sent a shock through the staff there at the high school as
well as all teachers in the community. I have no reason to think any
other teachers are involved in this," Robinson said.

Asked if she was surprised that school officials apparently were
unaware of the situation, Superintendent Roberts said, "In my 30 years
in education, I have had other things be known by the students and not
be known by the adults."

District 217 has about 780 K-12 students in three schools.