BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – A Berkeley County teacher has been benched after he brought booze to school, according to the South Carolina Board of Education. It’s a move that’s now cost him his job and a yearlong suspension from teaching.
The South Carolina State Board of Education slammed the brakes on Daniel Henri Tinelli’s teaching career this month, pulling his educator license for 12 months after confirming he brought alcohol into a school setting — a blatant breach of state ethics rules.
According to a state disciplinary report, a student flagged Tinelli on Nov. 1, 2023, telling school staff that the teacher was “acting off” and reeked of alcohol.
While Tinelli was off campus during lunch, administrators went to his classroom and found five unopened beers chilling in a lunchbox on his desk.
When Tinelli returned to school, he was pulled aside by administrators and told to leave campus immediately. Law enforcement officers on-site reportedly told him they were concerned it wasn’t safe for him to drive. He managed to get a ride home but was later fired by the Berkeley County School District.
The South Carolina State Board of Education voted to suspend Tinelli’s teaching license beginning April
1, 2025, and ending on March 31, 2026, citing his “unprofessional conduct.”
He has the right to appeal, but for now, it’s last call on Tinelli’s teaching career.
Officials didn’t say exactly what kind of alcohol Tinelli brought in or why, but the board made it clear: it’s a serious violation that won’t be tolerated.
The State Board said it remains committed to holding educators accountable and protecting students from unprofessional behavior.
