N.J. Teacher On Leave After Allegedly Being Caught On Video Offering Activists Cocaine

HOWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A Howell Township middle school health teacher, known as an anti-drug advocate, was suspended Thursday following serious drug allegations.

As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, a secretly-recorded video allegedly shows him offering cocaine to a young couple.

Howell Township Middle School South was feeling the sting of the activists at Project Veritas. Founder James O'Keefe was famous for the 2009 exposé of the community organizing group ACORN.

Now, the group has been targeting educators, including Robert Klein.

"I thought you said you liked to blow," Klein is allegedly seen telling the undercover activists. "If you want it, you can have it."

"No, no, no, I'm actually working, too, so," an activist replies.

"I'm just telling you if you want it you can have some," Klein is allegedly seen saying.

Project Veritas activists secretly recorded Klein in his Atlantic City hotel after befriending him at a teachers' union convention.

"If you want blow you can have a bump," Klein is allegedly seen telling them. "You can do whatever you want."

Klein also allegedly discussed how his work on student anti-drug education taught him how to avoid drug-sniffing dogs.

"Blow -- people mix it with different things, so it has like different scents, so it's not a familiar scent to a dog," Klein is allegedly heard saying. "Weed is weed."

Local residents were disturbed to learn about the controversy.

"Oh my Lord!" said Gail Hawkins of Howell Township. "That's inappropriate, really inappropriate!"

"That's wrong," said Jennifer Chamberlain of Brick Township. "He shouldn't be doing that, obviously, and I don't know how he still has his job."

Klein is a veteran teacher in the district, with 17 years' experience. His annual salary is close to $100,000.

Howell Township Public Schools Superintendent Joseph Isola said in a statement: "The employee in question has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of our investigation. This is a personnel matter and we are not at liberty to discuss further at this time."

Project Veritas said other educators are seen on videos to be released in the days ahead.

The video was recorded in 2015, but was not made public this week.

CBS2 asked Project Veritas why it did not report the teacher's comments right away, and has not received a reply.