BELLEVUE, Wash. — Forty-two-year-old Erik Schock was a physical education teacher at Chinook Middle School for 11 years. And -- according to some parents -- he was a good one.
''Yeah, very popular. Great popular teacher,'' said Beth Swanson. So she didn't know why Schock was no longer at Chinook.
''As far as I know, nobody did,'' Swanson added.
What they didn't know is that Bellevue Schools fired Schock last February for coming to school, drunk. A hearing officer upheld the decision and estimated Schock's blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. Schock says being drunk at work was not "flagrant misconduct" under state law. We asked Beth Swanson what she thinks.
"I would not even attempt to guess what legally should have happened," Swanson replied. "But I don't want a drunk teacher around my children. I cannot imagine it was within his lawful right to show up to school drunk."
Other parents agreed.
"I don't want him back," said parent Tony Pitakkan. "Being drunk as a teacher? He's a role model of the kids."
"We don't need anybody that can't you know, maintain, you know, normal decorum at school," said parent Darcey Teets. "Drinking? Come on. It's not even a question."
The Bellevue School District wouldn't talk about the case.
Schlock's yearly salary was more than $93,000.
The Bellevue Teachers Union said it is no longer involved.
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