A Rutland schoolteacher faces DUI charges and is on administrative leave after police say he drove to school drunk.

At about 8:57 a.m. Friday, Feb. 7, troopers from the Vermont State Police Rutland Barracks were dispatched to the West Rutland School to assist the Rutland County Sheriff’s Department’s school resource officer. 

Troopers were directed to a staff member, Dennis McLaughlin, 53, of Rutland Town, who was thought by co-workers to have driven to school and arrived at work while impaired by alcohol. 

Troopers observed indicators of alcohol impairment and took McLaughlin into custody for suspicion of driving under the influence when he traveled to school shortly before. McLaughlin was transported to the state police barracks in Rutland for processing and released on a citation to appear at 10 a.m. Feb. 24 at the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in Rutland.

On the Rutland Sun Facebook page, a commenter identifying herself as a former student expressed support for McLaughlin: “I’m not sure what is going on in his life or anything, but I do know when I was in school and this man was my teacher, he was my favorite one. He is the only reason I stayed in school. He treats the kids with the most respect and helps them when in need. He also makes the learning environment enjoyable. I cannot attest to how things are there now with his teaching, because let’s face it we have all gone through so much these last 4-5 years and that can definitely take a toll on people.”