Cobb County

Cobb school ‘employee of the year’ charged with having alcohol in elementary school classroom

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Cobb County elementary school paraprofessional has been charged with having alcohol inside her classroom.

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Jean Warnken is accused of having a reusable plastic cup with a lid and straw full of alcohol in a classroom at Davis Elementary on March 3, according to a warrant.

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Warnken was charged with alcohol possession of public school grounds.

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The warrant lists Kristin Erbskorn, who is the school principal, as a witness for the state. The campus police officer is also listed as a witness.

Warnken was named employee of the year at Davis Elementary in 2020.

Cobb County Schools issued a statement Thursday, saying Warnken is no longer employed with the school.

“Although this person no longer works for the District, Cobb Schools police and local administration are working with a police investigation into a paraprofessional. We expect all employees to support students as professionals and uphold District policy.”

Channel 2′s Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell was at the school Thursday, where she talked to parents as they were picking up children from school.

“They just sent an email saying there was an investigation going on but didn’t mention exactly what it was,” parent Deborah Kaufman said. “It’s obviously concerning. She’s probably not doing a great job with the class.”

Another parent said the arrest is shocking because Warnken was a highly-respected school employee.

Warnken is listed as a computer lab instructor on the elementary school’s website. The district wouldn’t release any specifics about her role while she was employed at the school.

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