ANKENY, Iowa — An Ankeny special education teacher was arrested Wednesday for allegedly being intoxicated on school property.
Ankeny Centennial High School staff noticed 50-year-old Sara Halbur, of Ankeny, was acting abnormally and being loud, according to a criminal complaint. Colleagues also could smell alcohol on her breath, the complaint alleges.
School administrators searched her classroom and found an empty Diet Pepsi bottle that smelled like alcohol.
She displayed signs of impairment, including, slurred speech, smelled of alcohol and bloodshot and watery eyes, the complaint states.
Halbur consented to a preliminary breath test which showed a blood alcohol content of .262% — more than three times the legal limit to drive in Iowa.
After a search of her purse, Ankeny police officers found three opened bottles of whiskey, court documents state.
Halbur was charged with public intoxication first offense and sent to Polk County Jail. She pled guilty to the charge and paid a $105 fine.
Halbur recently joined the Centennial staff this school year, according to an Ankeny Centennial Instagram post 10 weeks ago that welcomed her as a new teacher. The post stated she had 20 years of teaching experience across three states and would be teaching special education classes.
The Ankeny Community School District released the following statement about Halbur's arrest:
The Ankeny Community School District thoroughly investigates any report that raises a concern about the conduct of our staff members.
In any misconduct allegation, we are shocked and disappointed when the highest standards of education are not met, and the good work of educating students is undermined.
The conduct alleged in this case is not tolerated in Ankeny Schools. The district thoroughly investigates any report that raises a concern about a staff member's conduct.
In this case, the staff member was immediately placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement and state agency investigations.