A Merrill teacher fired for his marijuana use and connection to a criminal drug case is headed back to the classroom.
Jay Peterson was reinstated by a 5-4 vote of the school board on Monday.
He'll return to work next fall and the year away from the job will be considered a one year leave of absence without pay. The vote comes after a grievance process by the teachers union.
Peterson was one of nearly a dozen people named in court records last year as part of a marijuana distribution ring based in Antigo.
He pleaded no contest to a charge of possession of marijuana. The sentence was deferred for a year.
