Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

White Hall math teacher arrested on drug charge

- JOHN WORTHEN

WHITE HALL — A White Hall math teacher who also coaches soccer and tennis for the school district was arrested Thursday as part of a drug operation after an undercover officer purchased marijuana from him, according to the Jefferson County sheriff’s office.

Jason Bolik, 29, was taken into custody after authoritie­s from the Jefferson County sheriff’s office, the Tri-County Drug Task Force and the White Hall Police Department pulled his vehicle over on Harden Reed Road. Police found two safes containing about 1 pound of marijuana in Bolik’s vehicle, a news release from the sheriff’s office said.

He was held Friday at the Jefferson County jail for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. His bail was set at $1,085.

White Hall School District Superinten­dent Larry Smith, who hired Bolik about three years ago, said the fate of Bolik’s career at the district will be up to the School Board once a prosecutin­g attorney files official charges against the teacher.

“Once that happens, I will send my recommenda­tions to the board, and we will go from there,” Smith said, adding that it is premature to say what those recommenda­tions might be.

“This is just a very unfortunat­e situation. Drugs have become such a big part of

our society, and unfortunat­ely that spills over into schools sometimes. A lot of people think teachers are sometimes immune to these kinds of things, but they are people just like everyone else. They make mistakes.”

Smith said he doesn’t have any indication whether Bolik sold or attempted to sell drugs at the district’s schools.

“We certainly hope that isn’t the case,” the superinten­dent said.

“Right now, we don’t think it is.”

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