BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A Shafter High School teacher is out on bail Tuesday after being arrested in connection with manufacturing methamphetamine on campus, according to the Bakersfield Police Department.

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Investigators were notified that Jeff Scheidemantel had purchased and was attempting to import red phosphorus from a Web site overseas. Red phosphorus is a critical element in making methamphetamine and is illegal to import.

Greg Terry of the Bakersfield Police Department said once they identified Scheidemantel, they served search warrants at his home and Shafter High School.

Scheidemantel had been teaching on and off for the Kern High School District since 2003.

Administrators and students said he was well liked and did a good job.

Joey Medina, a past student of Scheidemantel’s said, “I had him all last year. He asked me to be a TA for him. He just seemed like a really nice guy.”

John Teves of the Kern High School District said, “Observations of him have been positive and his class appears to be a class in which kids like to be.”

There has been no information linking Scheidemantel to involving students in his methamphetamine manufacturing.

Investigators also learned that he attempted to make methamphetamine in the classroom without having the red phosphorus.

He had the recipes at his home. At the school he had additional materials as well as chemicals and had actually begun the manufacturing process.

Because he was attempting to make methamphetamine in the classroom, one of the charges was for child endangerment.

The Kern High School District said there is no drug testing policy though all teachers go through an extensive background check before they are hired. District officials said there was nothing in Scheidemantel’s record that would have indicated he was a drug manufacturer.

Scheidemantel was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.