If you are in high school and get caught drinking...

[monsterkitty]

Many state high school activities associtations have this same code of conduct for students. I had to adhear to the don't drink or do drugs code 24years ago.

Many are saying that the schools have no rights to enforce such a policy outside of the school day or outside of a school activity. However, don't you think the rules would have been challenged in court long ago? If the code of conduct rules were truly overstepping the schools' boundries, don't you think that the courts would have told schools they cannot enforce a code of conduct such as this one?

Schools are now also testing sports and activity participants for drug use. You want to play a sport or the clarinet in the school band? You have to agree to random drug testing.

The courts have ruled that drug testing is legal. I would also bet that the courts have ruled in favor of the code of conduct policies. These parents will lose their battle, just as other parents have fought and lost as well.

 

[jipsy]

I haven't read all of the responses here, so forgive me if I am repeating someone else but...

IMHO, I don't think a school has the right to do anything that doesn't occur on school property. If a student, who is underage, is drinking, smoking or whatever on a Saturday night at someone's house, has a picture made, posts it on Facebook, myspace, wherever, that is not the school's concern. That is the student's parents problem. This is one of the major problems in this country is that parents are not allowed to parent, because schools and government and in some cases, the parents, think that it is the schools and government's responsibility to discipline students off school property and after school hours/activities. Nothing could be further from the truth. You had the child, you deal with it.

This happened recently to my boss' girlfriend's daughter here. She was at a party on a weekend at someone's house, had some beers and pictures were posted on myspace. Someone sent the pictures to the principal, and all the students in the pictures were called in for questioning to the principal's office. All of them said they were drinking sodas, except for my boss' girlfriend's daughter. She admitted it was a beer, not only because you could clearly see it was a beer in the pic, but because it was the truth. Because of her admission, all of the students received disciplinary action, hers being that next year she will not be allowed to be captain of her softball team for the first 4 games.

In my opinion, this was none of the school's business, but should have been handled solely by my boss' girlfriend, as well as the other parents, as it was not on school time or school property.

This country is going to hell in a handbasket.

 

[connorlevismom]

Seems to me this whole mess could have been avoided by these kids actually following the rules that THEY AND THEIR PARENTS agreed to.

IMO, this teaches these kids nothing except they are allowed to do whatever they want with absolutely no consequence's. The rules don't apply to them.

Kristine

 

[Tiggeroo]

this is not about rules it's about boundaries. The athletes agree to a no drinking ever policy. Therefore anything they do anywhere is fair game.
I'm uncomfortable with the school getting into off campus activities unless brought to their attention by the police or possibly a parent with firsthand knowledge. You don't really want an atmosphere where kids turn the kids they don't like into school or where the school checks out social web sites. This is second hand knowledge. And there will likely be repurcussions in the school. And very rarely is a kid just concerned about the other kids getting hurt. I would see this as a fight or jealousy act.
And other then athletes the school has no business in it.

 

[jipsy]

this is not about rules it's about boundaries. The athletes agree to a no drinking ever policy. Therefore anything they do anywhere is fair game.
I'm uncomfortable with the school getting into off campus activities unless brought to their attention by the police or possibly a parent with firsthand knowledge. You don't really want an atmosphere where kids turn the kids they don't like into school or where the school checks out social web sites. This is second hand knowledge. And there will likely be repurcussions in the school. And very rarely is a kid just concerned about the other kids getting hurt. I would see this as a fight or jealousy act.
And other then athletes the school has no business in it.

Exactly. This is what happened to my boss' girlfriend's daughter. Some other kid who was jealous of her turned in the pictures (according to the school) and when they asked who did that, they were told that it was not prudent to say.

 

[Linzybrooke]

Let me see if I understand what some of you are saying when you state that if it didn't happen at school or on school property the school has no reason to be involved.

A bunch of kids are partying at another students home, parents are out of town, the whole nine yards. Cops are called and students are arrested and booked for drinking underage, etc. Some of these kids are athletes or involved in other state sanctioned activites such as choir, band, drama, speech, etc. The school has no right to suspend them?

I fully support the school actions. They are doing what they need to do and the students need to understand that posting things in a public manner is going to get them caught.

 

[Tiggeroo]

if the police were involved then there would be a hearing with evidence reviewed. Or students would be caught in the act and issued a ticket or summons with the fine already listed. If the parents caught the kids or somebody they trusted told them they hopefully would punish the kids. When the school acts on pics from a website turned in by a fellow student the accused are automatically guilty. If it was so simple and clear they should have handed it over to the police. I don't know that the parents are upset because their kids are punished or because they see the school as over stepping their bounds and taking over the parent role. This is not the same thing as being caught with a bottle at prom or drinking in the hotel room on a trip. I believe in NJ if a kid is caught drinking even if not driving they can lose their license. So why not call the cops and the parents and leave them to handle it.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Let me see if I understand what some of you are saying when you state that if it didn't happen at school or on school property the school has no reason to be involved.

A bunch of kids are partying at another students home, parents are out of town, the whole nine yards. Cops are called and students are arrested and booked for drinking underage, etc. Some of these kids are athletes or involved in other state sanctioned activites such as choir, band, drama, speech, etc. The school has no right to suspend them?

I fully support the school actions. They are doing what they need to do and the students need to understand that posting things in a public manner is going to get them caught.

School is within rights if kids are found guilty by police dept. or caught in act by police and ticketed, and then school is made aware of it by police or parents. There is no doubt of guilt and school did not attempt to oversee after school activities. However the only right they have is that which is pre-written in handbook or signed by students in activities pledge. Otherwise it is still the job of parents and police to punish students. The punishment issued in these cases should only involve athletes and loss of their privileges as such.

 

[jipsy]

Well, while I agree Tiggeroo and I are pretty much on the same page, the one thing I don't agree with is the athlete thing. Just because someone is an athlete doesn't make them holier than thou, in a manner of speaking. Using this logic, someone who is in the band or the 4H club can drink off school property, have pics of it posted on myspace, and it doesn't matter but if that person plays basketball it does. This doesn't make sense.

My whole point is that PARENTS SHOULD BE PARENTS. If your kids are underage drinking and get caught DEAL WITH IT AS A PARENT. Stop expecting the school to discipline your child even when they are doing something wrong after hours and off school property. THAT IS YOUR JOB AS THE PARENT, not the school's.

When did the school's job become to discipline your child for their behavior before 8:00 am and after 3:00 pm? It's ridiculous.

 

[jipsy]

Let me see if I understand what some of you are saying when you state that if it didn't happen at school or on school property the school has no reason to be involved.

A bunch of kids are partying at another students home, parents are out of town, the whole nine yards. Cops are called and students are arrested and booked for drinking underage, etc. Some of these kids are athletes or involved in other state sanctioned activites such as choir, band, drama, speech, etc. The school has no right to suspend them?

I fully support the school actions. They are doing what they need to do and the students need to understand that posting things in a public manner is going to get them caught.

Yes, exactly. The school has no right to suspend them. They weren't drinking at a football game in which they were a player, they weren't drinking at a choir or band function, they weren't drunk while participating in a play or giving a school speech. The school has no right.

 

[Linzybrooke]

Yes, exactly. The school has no right to suspend them. They weren't drinking at a football game in which they were a player, they weren't drinking at a choir or band function, they weren't drunk while participating in a play or giving a school speech. The school has no right.

Maybe because I was an athlete and a coach under the Minnesota State High School League I understand the schools position better. When we made a team we were given a copy of the MSHSL handbook which we had to read and sign, it stated that any evidence of alcohol or drug related activity was grounds for dismissal from the team and possible suspension from school. The evidence did not have to be in police documentation, it could be a photograph, we had girls on our danceteam that were kicked off because photos started circulating around school with beer cans in their hands. The policy was cut and dry, and everyone involved in a MSHSL knew about it.

 

[monsterkitty]

Yes, exactly. The school has no right to suspend them. They weren't drinking at a football game in which they were a player, they weren't drinking at a choir or band function, they weren't drunk while participating in a play or giving a school speech. The school has no right.

The students were suspended from extra-curricular activities, not school.

The students and their parents signed a contract that stated what would happen if the students were caught or seen drinking. In signing this contract, they agreed to its terms.

The school had every right to suspend them from the activities. Participation is not a right, it is a privilege.

 

[MrsPete]

Yes, exactly. The school has no right to suspend them. They weren't drinking at a football game in which they were a player, they weren't drinking at a choir or band function, they weren't drunk while participating in a play or giving a school speech. The school has no right.

Yep, the school does the right.

When the students become part of the football team, the band, or some other group, they -- and their parents -- get a lecture at the orientation meeting about how they represent the school (on campus, off campus, where ever). They are required to sign a code of conduct form, which states that they will not do things to disgrace the school. Drinking and drugs are at the top of the list. After all, when things like this hit the newspaper -- and they do -- what's the headline going to read? CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAUGHT DOING THIS OR THAT. No one cares at that point whether it was on campus or in a private home -- it reflects badly on the school because of the way the media portrays it.

You can agree or disagree with the concept, but if the kids have signed a code of conduct, then THEY KNEW they would receive school punishment if they did something like this.

 

[golfgal]

Yes, exactly. The school has no right to suspend them. They weren't drinking at a football game in which they were a player, they weren't drinking at a choir or band function, they weren't drunk while participating in a play or giving a school speech. The school has no right.

I still think you are missing the point, the students agreed to not drink or use drugs EVER in order to be allowed to participate in activities/sports--they broke that agreement, they were suspended from the team. When I was coaching we took the rule further--if you were caught drinking/doing drugs you were off the team forever-no suspension just GONE. It was a condition of being on the team, the kids knew it and we only had to kick one girl off the team ever.

The kids can do what ever the heck they want but they just can't participate in sports or activities if they choose to drink that is all it comes down to.

Honestly, I think pretty much EVERY state has a similar rule for participating in high school athletics.

 

[hentob]

I'm not condoning underage drinking but where does the school get off punishing kids for something that happened off school property, not during school hours. It's none of their business. It's up to the parents to do the disciplining in this case IMHO.

I agree with you 100%

 

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Faerie View Post
I'm not condoning underage drinking but where does the school get off punishing kids for something that happened off school property, not during school hours. It's none of their business. It's up to the parents to do the disciplining in this case IMHO.
I agree with you 100%

How about we look at it this way--they aren't disciplining the kids they are just telling them that they broke the rules and can't participate any longer. If you break the rules at work (which can include out of work actions) you get fired-same thing here-they are getting fired from their activities.

 

[mamacatnv]

Honestly, I think pretty much EVERY state has a similar rule for participating in high school athletics.

I agree, most states have high school conduct policies for extra curricular activites.

However, I do no think they are all the same.

Some states require law enforcement involvement for documented proof while others use guilt by association, pictures (which can be doctored), rumors etc.

 

[rie'smom]

At my daughter's school anyone caught drinking is suspended for a 1st offense and expelled for a 2nd.