FUKUSHIMA (TR) – The Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education has announced the suspension of a female principal for drinking alcohol in her office, reports TBS News (Dec. 28).
According to the board, the 57-year-old female principal of a public elementary school in Fukushima City received a 12-month suspension.
On October 15, the principal allegedly drank a can of chuhai, which is a type cocktail composed of the distilled spirit shochu, in her office during work hours on October 15.
On that day, a staff member noticed the smell of alcohol in the office. Upon searching the room, they found two 500-milliliter cans of chuhai under a desk. One can was empty and the other was about half full.
An hour later, the Board of Education arrived to investigate. However, the second can had been emptied.
“She has admitted to drinking [the second can] after 1:50 p.m. [the time of the discovery],” the board said at a press conference.
“I accidentally brought it from home,” the principal said. “I was naive and thought, ‘This much is okay.'”
The principal, who assumed the post on April 1 of last year, had previously been disciplined nine times for falling asleep in class and suddenly yelling at students.
