momof5~ that is a good point. You want accountability? Who elects these officials into their offices of power? WE DO! Accountability starts with US! Somehow over the years, this country seems to have been lulled to sleep and brainwashed into thinking the govt. is our boss and our overriding authority. That would be false. The govt. actually is in place to work for the people. When the people themselves do not have the ability to think for themselves as is apparent in this day and age, all of the sudden, the govt. officials feel it's their role to be our new KING/QUEEN! That's where we've gone so wrong as a society. We've lost our way as a society because we are no longer unified as a country. We don't have to all agree on everything, but, when it comes to principles, we need to be solid and those have compromised for so long that everybody has their own version of right and wrong. We have no foundation anymore. Anything built to last must have a solid foundation to be built upon. Houses aren't built on sand! This country was founded on moral principles which were intended to be guidelines to hold people accountable.
We the people need to get back to the roots of what made this country so great. It all starts with swallowing our foolish pride and admitting we can get better!

momof5: Let me preface my statement by saying that I am not judging the two main characters in this article. With that caveat, I will say that this type of behavior by “educated”, “public servants”, sickens me. It scares me. The destruction of a human being that drug abuse causes is very scary. It affects all of us in one way or another. This case also shows that we, as a society, have to recognize that this problem exists at every educational level and income level. Sad.

you people are preaching accountability on here.... what about holding the COURT COMMISSIONER who supplied her accountable?? He was an educated professional who made a decent buck on the TAXPAYER's dime in Walworth County. He obviously knew right from wrong. He was entrusted with a job: to uphold the LAW!

Mikki: Your theory of "choice" is not why the disability payments were stopped. The funding was changed in order to get the addicted person into treatment. If the applicant is determined to have an active addiction, they are provided with funded treatment. If sober and a disability exists, then the applicant can receive payments. I think it is a good plan. Treatment does work.

Sarah, addiction is a CHOICE. That's why you can no longer collect social security for being a drug addict or an alcoholic.
They are CHOICES.
You can make excuses for peoples' poor behavior until you are blue in the face. Hug them, let them cry on your shoulder, do what you want.
In the end, it's up to them to make the choices in their own lives.

Grandma, does all that also hold true for grandparents who smoke weed? Last I knew that was also still illegal. Doesn't matter whether if one feels it should be legal. Doesn't matter if one needs it for pain in Wisconsin, it is still illegal. I used to get a lot of weed-smoking grandparents in groups I facilitated at a Madison treatment center.

EXACTLY darius!
And as Matthew pointed out, no one seems to be held accountable for their actions.

If they go out for a joy ride and CHOOSE to blow a stop sign, the excuse is, "Well everybody does it, but I didn't think I'd hit anyone". As a teacher, drugs aren't supposed to rile the public? Oh, she must have been conned into it. But she's such a "nice girl", whatever... she put children in jeopardy. Hyper children are thrown on drugs to fit in that classroom mold, instead of challenging them and figuring out how to involve the child on his level. Just medicate all of them!

We are all born with a conscience... we inherently know the difference between right and wrong.

But nowadays, it must be the environment, or crappy parents or some other excuse to explain why someone does something illegal, immoral, or disgusting. Its a sad time we live in. No one is actually held accountable for their choices or punished anymore!

gmaof3~ The term "politically correct" is just another way of saying "pass the buck". No sense of right or wrong anymore because it doesn't mesh with selfish people's agenda's so they came up with that term to negotiate the principles behind right and wrong. It's been happening more and more in our culture and we're seeing the residual effects of it coming in tenfold with our society.

I think these "issues" started being called a "disease" when we became too Politically Correct", and I for one an sick of it!

Matthew, you are absolutely right! While we empathize with her dilemma, I do NOT condone her actions or feel she has any business returning to teaching. She burned her proverbial Teacher's Card, when she DECIDED to use drugs, PERIOD!

As parents, we try daily, to protect our children from the day to day crap that they are exposed to. Why let this woman make it easier for them to try it out for themselves? She could have dropped it when she had it on school grounds. It would have killed a child!

SarahB~ Matthew is right. Not only that, she further damages her case by violating her probation! Aren't teachers supposed to teach children about responsibility and character as well? If she can't hold herself to a standard, how can she do that with others? Especially children who are counting on people like her for guidance! People need to get over this victim mentality that is so common in our culture. When you mess up, take responsibility for your actions instead of pointing fingers or saying, "well, yeah, but......." Matthew hit it right on the head. ACCOUNTABILITY!

sarah, that has nothing to do with it! This lady is in a leadership role working directly with the children of parents who count on these people day in and day out to educate their children. I just got done saying, I have empathy for her. I don't know her situation. However, ACCOUNTABILITY is everything here. You can label her as being the "victim" here, but, the fact is, SHE chose to take the drugs and put them in her body! Nobody held her down and forcefed them to her! I've had countless opportunities to experiment with drugs and chose NOT TO! If I had chosen to take the drugs and become addicted, that's my responsibility and it's up to me to face the consequences that follow! Whether drugs are addicting or not has nothing to do with it! She screwed up!

matthew516: Please read up on addiction. It is not as simple as "just say No" and, yes, thousands have recovered successfully. I don't know if you care enough to get better educated on this disease, but one good area to google first would be dopamine receptors. Each year, science is gaining more insight on this disease and how to more successfully treat those afflicted. "Good people" can become addicted just as easily as "bad people".

gma, exactly! She's given up her right to work around kids. She knew the rules coming into her position and parents are counting on these "leaders" to teach their children. Once the trust factor is compromised, it's nearly impossible to remedy. It's called accountability! I don't have sympathy for this woman, however, I do have empathy. We all have problems in life, nonetheless, we all have to be held accountable for our actions as well. I'm in a leadership role, personally, therefore it's very easy for me to understand the importance of trust and my word being my worth. Doesn't make me anything special I simply choose to live my life this way and treat others as I would like them to treat me.

GMAOF3-Yes, I would call child molesting a disease. However, child molesting is an incurable disease. Drug addiction is not. A person can get clean and stay clean and all it takes is random drug testing to make sure. There is no such test for child molesters.

Have some compassion. She was once one of the "innocent children" that are mentioned by commenters. This isn't just an adult that suddenly materialized in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Who knows what kind of things are in her past, but it can't just be all rosy when she has such extreme behavior.

Sorry, I for one think this woman needs to be removed from society. I don't care what she "could be" when she cleans herself up, she is an addict and had charge of small children!!!

If this was a child molester, would you call molestation a disease? Would you let someone get treatment then come back to teach YOUR children?

Good grief, she's a loser by "her own actions"!!! Give her prison time, when she gets out, let her take a job where she will not have anyone's safety in her control.

My very first concern is for the children. They have but one chance to grow up, why expose them to THIS crap? Its ridiculous!!!
Yes, throw away the key!!!

I have no idea what this woman's future holds. I will say, however, that thousands of people in recovery from addiction have returned to their professions and are living successful, responsible lives. And, yes, this includes teachers, doctors, nurses, accountants, lawmakers, geologists, librarians, factory workers, athletes, etc.

Imagine someone like this in a teaching position that requires her to hold children accountable when she can't do the same for herself. There's too many people like this in leadership positions that have no business being there. They give the real difference makers a bad stigma that they don't deserve. At least this one's been exposed and out of the way of the kids.

Last time, people jumped all over me saying I was judging her... She was using and is still using..and someone like that doesn't deserve the opportunity to be a teacher..be around those young innocent children..

WiSpedTeacher: She isn't teaching now, so what is your point?

I hope now you people believe me...this girl is an user...and doesn't deserve to be teaching....

In checking CCAP, it looks as though Compton recently had a hit and run too. He was cited yesterday for hit and run and failure to notify police of an accident.

Snowman, I agree with you about Compton. I do find it kind of strange that his involvement seems to be getting FAR less attention in the Gazette.

I saw his picture in the LG paper linked elsewhere in this discussion. He's looking pretty rough compared to when I met him a few times about six or seven years ago.

GOOD throw away the key

Thank you, BadgerFanMom.

Sarah..
No I am not WisconsinMom...

www.lakegenevanews.net has ALOT more info. I'm glad to see the wife of Compton has filed for divorce.

where is the married, cheating, drug dealing, attorney Compton at? Is he in jail for poss of coke and other drugs that he has been supplying her with? i bet not. I sure hope Mrs Compton leaves this piece of @#$%. he is a worthless breath of air. Hey Compton do you know any good attys? sounds like your going to be needing one soon!!!!!

getinvolved: I apologize, but I now almost think it is you that does not understand what I am posting. Addiction is not a "bad" characteristic or whatever it is you are trying to imply. It would be as if you characterized everyone with heart disease, diabetes, thyroid insufficiency, or some other chronic health problem according to their disease. Having addiction does not automatically make one a "bad" person. It is a disease that equally affects "good" and "bad" people. I have reread your original post at least 10 times. For all I can tell, maybe we are even in agreement on what each of us is trying to say.

SarahB1: if you would have noticed I was replying to another post in which a reader was basically saying all teachers were bad because of this one event. Of course drug use is a addiction, I never said it wasn't. Understand the post before you criticize someone.

Latinmami2: She is showing classic signs of "denial" --- the person knows he/she has a problem and that there are consequences to continuing a behavior but just doesn't believe the consequences will happen to him/her. I am sure that even this woman is shocked by what she is doing. She needs inpatient treatment.

okay i read the article and really i am sorry she is out on bail because of the first incident, what made her think she was not going to get caught again i guess that shows how much of a hold this drug has over someone

The story as published in this week's Lake Geneva Regional News.....

http://tinyurl.com/cyrkwu

i am not defending her i just dont want to accuse her of anymore than she already has going on which is a lot

BadgerFanMom, thanks for posting the info from CCAP, though I'm not sure what your point in doing so was. Nothing you posted either backed up your earlier point nor disagreed with anything I posted.

getinvolved: Please, addiction is a disease and not just something that affects "bad" people. And it can be treated successfully.

BadgerFanMom: Why do you have it out so badly for this woman? And aren't you also known as WisconsinMom? At least that's what I heard tonight at a gas station near Darien.

Here is what it says on CCAP
1 946.49(1)(b) Bail Jumping-Felony Felony H

2 961.41(3g)(am) Possession of Narcotic Drugs Felony I

3 946.49(1)(b)Bail Jumping-Felony Felony H

4 946.49(1)(b)Bail Jumping-Felony Felony H

If you go into the court details it states:

03-08-2009 Cash bond set Drettwan, Kristine E

Event Party Amount

Luessenhop, Katie M. $ 10000.00

Additional Text:

Defendant shall not possess or consume alcohol. Defendant shall not possess or use illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia. No contact with Steve Compton or any of his residences or locations he is staying temporarily.

2LevelHeaded: please do not lump all teachers together because of one bad apple. That's like saying all cops are dirty because one takes a bribe, all CEO's are crooks because one cheated stock holders, all priests are molesters because one did this. You can't say a person is bad because of their profession. People of all professions make poor choices.

Latinmami..
The very next sentence states, "The arrest was the result of an ongoing drug investigation, and a charge of felony possession of heroin also has been referred to the district attorney's office, he said."

If you compare that to what the latest charge was on CCAP, then it all fits.. 3 counts of bail jumping, 1 count drug posession...

How can you defend this chick?

She is accused of having contact with someone she was prohibited from contacting under the provisions of her bond, Undersheriff Kurt Picknell said.
*********************
this is what the article says it does not state she got caught with more drugs just caught with someone she should not have contact with

BadgerFanMom, be careful. You're not being completely accurate with your statement here. I fully realize you wish with all your heart young Ms. Luessenhop could just be nailed to the nearest cross, as evidenced by your exuberate "YES" in your post.

However, as you suggested, I did look the case up on CCAP. In doing so, I learned Ms. Luessenhop has been charged with four total counts in this most recent turn of events.

Three of those counts are for bail jumping. One of those counts is for possession of a narcotic. Nowhere does it say what the narcotic is, nor does it say she was indeed "caught" with said narcotic by law enforcement. To even render an informed opinion (something that is sorely lacking in so many of these discussions), one would have to consult the court file. I'm guessing you probably didn't do that.

jvldss, I'm not sure of your level of experience with the American judicial system but I'm guessing it is nothing beyond perhaps an armchair view of CSI at best. See, in this country, the vast majority of defendants initially plead not guilty so as to preserve their Constitutional rights to speedy trial, trial by jury, to confront witnesses, and their right against self-incrimination. The Bill of Rights is truly enlightening reading, I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to engage in an intelligent discussion about criminal law.

yikes she really is in a downward spiral that does not seem to be ending

YES she was caught with heroin again.. look it up on CCAP!

Yea she does have a serious problem especially since it is so bad that she even thought to bring it on school grounds she has to do something before it is too late, what if that stuff would of dropped out of her purse and a child got it and ingested it.

She needs to either obtain treatment ASAP or return to a higher level of treatment if she has already been getting help. She is playing with more than her future here; she is playing with her life. Heroin kills.

From the looks of things she's just another Mary Kay Latourneau with a different addiction. And Mary Kay never learned her lesson.

No, she wasn't caught with drugs again, crafty. She contacted someone she was barred from contacting (probably a felon, typical bail conditions).
.
jvldss, pleading not guilty is the best course of action if you hope to make a plea bargain by, for instance, testifying against someone else. It's just the way our system works.

she broke some sort of bond conditions by contacting someone she should not be around

If I'm reading this right, she gave the police two packets and they found a third in her purse...on school grounds...and she pleads not guilty. She sure is a bright one.

Did they catch her with heroin again? That's the way I read it...
I hope she gets the help she needs and doesn't just get the "book" thrown at her.

2LevelHeaded: I'm pretty sure the first sentence of this article states that this is a "former" teacher. Her status at DPI is "under investigation." (See https://www2.dpi.wi.gov/lic-tll/search.d...)
She is human, and humans-no matter the professions they choose-make choices that are good and bad. In this case, it seems she has made some bad decisions because of her addiction, but this does not mean that all teachers should be categorized along with her. Please refrain from criticizing all teachers on the choices that one specific teacher made, as most teachers do try to set a good example for the students that they teach.

the teachers are here to set an example for our kids and the example this teacher set was awful and i would also hope she will not allow to teach kids anymore, i am not saying she can't get help again but i don't think she should be allowed in the classroom

I think that teachers need to have a better education in this country. We should hire teachers that have common sense too. They get paid pretty well for working nine months out of the year.

thats horrible well i know that there is probably no way that she will avoid doing time but i also hope she gets the help she needs

The lawyer who has gotten her into this mess is the one she had contact with. The world of addiction is a terrible thing to break.

Did she get her degree out of a box of Cracker Jack, or what?

I think she has proven time and time again that she lacks in the common sense department.

this is crazy you would think that a teacher would have more common sense not to commit the first crime but then she violated the rules so has to be out, does she not enjoy her freedom?