A teacher from Middle Tennessee was arrested after cocaine was discovered in her classroom, according to the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Department.
Mia King, a 24-year-old sixth-grade teacher at Cheatham Middle School, is facing multiple charges after deputies found about three grams of cocaine in her open purse, which was next to her desk. Along with the cocaine, officers also discovered a spoon with white powder residue and a rolled-up $5 bill, which appeared to have been used for snorting lines, said Lt. Shannon Heflin.
The investigation started Monday morning after the Sheriff’s Department received an anonymous tip through its drug tip line. The tipster claimed King was leaving the school during lunch breaks to do ketamine and cocaine in her car.
When school officials brought King into the principal’s office, the school resource officer noticed signs that she was under the influence—she seemed anxious, drowsy, and confused. Lt. Heflin said in his 29 years of law enforcement, he had never seen a teacher bring drugs into a school, adding that everyone involved was “dumbfounded” by her actions.
When deputies questioned King about the drugs in her purse, she reportedly started crying and asked for a lawyer. A search of her classroom and car didn’t uncover any additional drugs.
King, who had only been hired as an English teacher in 2023, was immediately fired after her arrest. A spokesperson for Cheatham County Schools said the district was committed to student safety and was fully cooperating with law enforcement. Due to the ongoing investigation, they couldn’t provide further details at this time.
Parents expressed shock and concern over the situation.
Lt. Heflin called King’s actions a “real letdown” from someone who was trusted to care for children. He also praised the anonymous tipster, urging anyone with more information to come forward so further investigation could take place.
