A former baseball player who nearly made the state's all-star team. A squeaky-clean criminal record. A "family man" with a new baby. A special education teacher.

The description hardly fits that of someone who is facing five counts of selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer.

But then again, the stereotypes of drug users and sellers no longer apply — not in a state where the problem is pervasive and rapidly growing.

Family, friends and colleagues of Lee N. Anzai, a teacher at Leilehua High School, have expressed shock over his arrest on charges of selling "ice."

"Evidently, no one detected it," said State Department of Education spokesman Greg Knudsen during a phone interview. "This wasn't something that was being acted out."

That's what makes the need for discussion and education all the more crucial.

Regardless of the outcome, Anzai's case raises serious questions about what needs to be done to ensure that the sale and use of drugs in public schools does not happen.

Indeed, there are polarizing views on the topic.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona has been vocal about supporting drug testing for teachers. Currently, there is no DOE policy that requires regular testing, except in "special cases."

Public safety officials, Aiona points out, are required to undergo drug testing. Teachers should be required to do the same.

"They're with them six to eight hours a day. They're surrogate parents to our children. They should they be held to the same standards."

But with Anzai serving as one cautionary tale among 13,000 teachers, many, including the DOE argue that testing would be a knee-jerk reaction fueled by politics.

Perhaps, but given the high stakes, something needs to be done.

As reported in The Advertiser, Honolulu police officers are averaging 55 to 60 arrests a month on meth-related charges.

Mandating drug tests on teachers is not a simple edict, nor should it be. A thoughtful series of discussions on possible policies must be held between the DOE and the Hawai'i State Teachers Association.

If that's not the answer, then alternative policies need to be explored. In addition, parents and students must also be included as public schools find a way to battle the epidemic.

A teacher. A suburban mom. A teenage soccer player. A meth user?

It's difficult to tell these days — but the time for public school officials, teachers and parents to start talking about it is now.