A Wisconsin elementary school teacher is facing criminal charges after police say she used cocaine on campus — including inside school bathrooms — in a case that has stunned parents and raised hard questions about oversight in one small community.

Laurie Laubenstein, 58, a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in New London, has been charged with possession of cocaine, with an added modifier for possessing a controlled substance in or near certain places — a more serious enhancement because the alleged conduct occurred at a school.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by WBAY, the investigation began not with a routine search, but with an anonymous tip.

The tipster contacted the school principal expressing concern about Laubenstein’s behavior, claiming they had noticed changes in her demeanor and frequent trips to the bathroom with her purse. The tipster also reported finding bloody tissues and white powder in a bathroom.

The complaint states that the tip was not initially treated as urgent.

It wasn’t until a school resource officer later located a small amount of white powder on a bathroom counter inside Laubenstein’s classroom that the situation escalated. The substance was taken to police for testing and reportedly came back positive for cocaine.

On Feb. 12, the school resource officer returned to campus with a police K-9 unit. According to authorities, officers searched Laubenstein and found cocaine in both her purse and coat pocket.

Investigators interviewed Laubenstein, who allegedly admitted she began using cocaine in August. She told police she did not know the weight or quantity she typically purchased, explaining that she would give someone money in exchange for an unspecified amount.

More troubling for many parents: according to the complaint, Laubenstein admitted she used cocaine before school on the day in question and again after school — including inside both the classroom and teacher’s lounge bathrooms.

Despite those admissions, Laubenstein reportedly told police that she “always cleans up after herself” and insisted she would never put her students in danger.

The New London School District moved quickly to notify families. In a letter sent to parents and guardians, officials acknowledged the investigation but emphasized that “at no point were students or staff in harm’s way.”

That assurance has not entirely quelled community unease.

Lincoln Elementary serves young children — students whose parents expect a controlled, safe environment. The idea that a teacher allegedly used cocaine in school bathrooms, within feet of classrooms and hallways filled with children, has understandably rattled families.

While authorities have not alleged that any student was directly exposed to drugs, the discovery of white powder and bloody tissues in a school restroom underscores how close the situation came to potential harm.

The charge Laubenstein faces — possession of cocaine with a location-based modifier — reflects Wisconsin law’s enhanced penalties for drug offenses committed in or near schools and other protected areas. If convicted, she could face more severe consequences than a standard possession charge would carry.

The case also raises broader questions about institutional response.

According to the criminal complaint, an anonymous tipster had previously raised concerns with the school principal but felt those concerns were not taken seriously at first. It remains unclear how long those suspicions circulated before the school resource officer discovered the powder.

Officials have not publicly addressed whether any internal review will take place regarding how the initial tip was handled.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not indicated whether additional charges could be filed. Laubenstein is scheduled to appear in court on March 17.

For now, the district’s focus appears to be on reassuring families. In its communication to parents, the district stressed that student safety was never compromised and that proper authorities were immediately involved once the evidence was discovered.

Still, for many, the situation feels like a breach of trust.

Teachers occupy a unique position in a child’s life — part educator, part caretaker, part role model. When allegations surface involving illegal drug use on campus, particularly at an elementary school, it strikes at the heart of that trust.

Laubenstein’s alleged admission that she used cocaine before the school day and again on campus has only intensified that reaction. The image of a teacher allegedly stepping into a bathroom between classes — purse in hand — and then returning to a room full of children is one that will linger.

As the legal process unfolds, key questions remain: how long the alleged drug use continued, whether anyone else was aware, and what safeguards will be implemented moving forward.