Yeah, it will definitely hurt you. You better have a good excuse/explanation and a sob story of how you overcame a bad situation. Most schools are not interested in hiring a teacher who has a record relating to drug abuse. If parents found out, they would flip out and cause everyone a lot of problems.

There are two questions here:

Could you become certified teacher?
Maybe in some states. A felony drug conviction lowers your chances. If a misdemeanor then not so much.

Would you be hired by a school?
Since the number 2 or 3 top degree in the nation is el.ed. and there is a basic glut of el. ed teachers. The odds of someone hiring you go down even further.

If you really want to become a teacher you have a few choices. Get the record expunged. Ask President Bush for a full and complete pardon. This is the time to do it. Write a letter today

Second you need to contact the state(s) in which you would be willing to move to and ask them. Bypass the stupid stuff and call them directly. Example: for SD call Lisa Limeim at 605-773-4705. Once you have a state(s) clearance call some districts. Figure on very inner city or very rural. The odds are greatly against a nice cushy job in the burbs.

Sorry to be harsh but that is the reality of the situation. Of course if it is a youth convection you may be better off.

Sorry but yes. You can’t have a criminal record and earn a state certificate. You could by the off chance and rare situation work in a private school. But, it owuld be hard for a private school to hire someone who doesn’t have a certificate. They would still have to do a background check and it would probably pop up.

Yes. It will significantly lower your chances of getting onto a course to train, and also of getting a job. All trainee teachers have to declare all criminal convictions before entering a course, and the provider of the teaching course will have the right to turn you down based on a drug abuse conviction.

And at least in England, the fact that after so many years some crimes are wiped off your record doesn’t apply to teaching. You have to declare everything, no matter how long ago it was and how small it was.

Yes, in many states in the US. Check with your state’s board of education — it should be in their bylaws.