Tacoma kindergarten teacher allegedly found drunk in classroom

A Tacoma kindergarten teacher has been fired after she was allegedly found drunk in her classroom.

Tacoma Public School District head legal counsel Shannon McMinimee said Larchmont elementary teacher Klara Bowman was found “fairly intoxicated” in her classroom on Feb. 19, after a student went to the principal’s office, saying something was wrong with her, KIRO 7 reports.

Bowman, 32, was removed from the classroom and, according to McMinimee, walked into a wall as she was escorted down the hallway by the principal and assistant principal.

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McMinimee said an empty coffee travel mug was found in Bowman’s classroom that smelled of alcohol.

Bowman’s employment was terminated last week after an investigation into the incident, McMinimee said.

McMinimee said Bowman was the subject of what was described as a “last chance agreement” in 2011 after a previous alcohol-related incident. No further details on the 2011 incident were provided.

Shikira Fernandez’s twin girls were taught by Bowman two years ago. Since then, she and her children still saw Bowman regularly at school and thought she was doing well.

“I just think people need to give her the benefit of the doubt,” Fernandez said. “We don’t know what’s happening personally we don’t know what’s happening in her own life. Is it excusable? No. But we can’t condemn her because she is such a great teacher.”

KIRO 7 knocked on Bowman’s door Monday night, but no one answered. A neighbor said he was shocked by the incident and also never suspected an issue.

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