Lauren Russell: Lucas Heights Community School physics teacher charged with drug supply to students

A physics teacher and Year 12 student adviser charged with supplying drugs to her own students at a Sydney high school has fled media after her matter was first listed in court.

A physics teacher and Year 12 student adviser has been charged after police allege she was selling cannabis to her students at a Sydney high school.

Lauren Russell, 42, was arrested at her Beverly Hills home on February 4 and charged with one count of drug supply.

Lucas Heights Community School teacher Lauren Russell.

Police will allege Russell – a high school physics teacher and Year 12 student adviser at Lucas Heights Community School in Sydney’s south – contacted and subsequently supplied drugs to students out of school hours.

Documents tendered to Sutherland Local Court indicate police will allege Russell was supplying cannabis to students between 3pm and 6pm on December 15 last year in Menai.

Russell was not required to appear at court on Wednesday for her first mention, and a legal representative had the matter adjourned for four weeks to obtain instructions from her.

The matter returns to Sutherland Local Court on March 9.

A school newsletter from Lucas Heights Community School’s website indicates Russell began working at the school in 2014 after transferring from Canley Vale High School in Sydney’s southwest.

Russell originally hails from Maryland in the United States.

Hours after her legal representative appeared before court on her behalf via email, Russell fled waiting media near her home and did not respond to questions.