ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Allentown School District allowed a longtime teacher accused of selling drugs earlier this year to quietly resign.
Jennifer Bennis, 52, of Whitehall Township, was charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, a felony.
She also was charged with two misdemeanors: possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A .22-caliber handgun, digital scales, bags with a white substance on them and six bags of suspected crystal meth with a street value of approximately $5,300.The arrest affidavit for Jennifer Bennis
Court documents indicate that agents with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office raided Bennis’ home on March 29 and found a .22-caliber handgun, $778, digital scales, bags with a white substance on them and six bags of suspected crystal meth with a street value of about $5,300.
The district Thursday confirmed that Bennis had been a social studies teacher at William Allen High School. The April 27 school board personnel report shows she resigned for “personal” reasons.
The district said in a statement that it was a police arrest that took place for activities conducted off school district premises.
Teaching certificate suspended
The district statement said it responded promptly upon finding out about the arrest and the employee was never around students in any district capacity after the arrest occurred.
The state Education Department shows Bennis's teaching certificate was suspended Nov. 22.
That means she can't teach in her certified areas until the suspension is lifted. She is certified to teach English and social studies in grades 7-12 and special education from preschool to 12th grade.
She also was certified to be a principal at all levels. She had been a teacher since 2005.
According to the arrest affidavit, Bennis stated that the drugs were hers and she bought them from a co-defendant, Michael Ohl, of Whitehall Township.
She said she sold various amounts of the drug to several routine customers, according to court records. The methamphetamine allegedly was found in a dresser drawer.
Bennis was released following her arrest on $25,000 unsecured bail and her next court date is Jan. 8, court records show.
There was no immediate response to a request to her attorney for comment.
