Volleyball player acts as designated driver, gets suspended

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/10/13/north-andover-high-punishes-teen-for-giving-drunken-pal-ride-home-from-party/

The kid received a call from a friend who was too drunk to drive, asking for a ride home. She went to the party to give her a ride home and when she got there, the police arrived. The police cleared her of any wrongdoing, but she was still suspended for five games and relieved of her captaincy.
The schools that I cover have a rule similar to the one at this school that states that if an athlete is caught "in the presence of" others who are drinking (I think this just means at a house party with other kids or in a bar. I don't imagine it pertains to a family event or a dinner with the family at a restaurant where alcohol may be served) he or she is subject to disciplinary action regardless of whether or not he or she was actually drinking. Many times, I have heard ADs and coaches tell kids if they arrive at a party and they see people drinking they should turn around and leave immediately.
I don't think this sort of thing is why the "in the presence of" rules were established. She was doing a decent thing and it doesn't seem right that she's being punished for it.

 

Oh, this brings back memories.

When I was in high school, there was a rager of a party that was broken up by the cops, and many athletes were suspended. But they all swore up and down that they hadn't been drinking, and because there was no proof that they had been, the school board lifted the suspensions. Never mind that every single one of the kids had in fact been drinking, their parents got a lawyer and had the punishments revoked because there was no proof. Good life lesson there.

Tough break for the kid. If her mom is going to be mad at anyone, it should be the friend who put the girl in that position. But I don't see any particular reason to completely buy her story -- the police said she wasn't in possession of alcohol but don't seem to have an opinion either way on whether the "picking up a friend" story is true. She could have just as easily been a late arrival to the party and now be using the DD thing as a convenient excuse.

Even if it's the full 100 percent truth, though, I see no reason for the school to bend on its policy. Maybe the kids start to think of "consequences to others" when they're making these choices.

 

Too bad she was not from Steubenville, Ohio. The rules are a bit looser.

 

Rules are rules.

 

True. I covered a Super Bowl a few years ago where, the night after Thanksgiving, there was a big party and QB was there. The morning of the game, it is announced that he (and three others) won't be playing because they were at the party. Game goes on, home team wins but we mention that QB did not play and there was a party in which suspensions were doled out.

Father called pissed that we mentioned his name, swore he wasn't drinking, but we read the policy in which there is zero tolerance. Sucky situation for sure, and certainly for the girl, who thought she was doing the right thing. Maybe it is something schools need to look into more, and decide on a case-by-case basis.

 

Unless the exception is specifically spellled out, this means if they're in the same house when Dad pops open a beer, they're suspended.


And none of this, 'oh everybody knows that's not what it's supposed to mean' bullshit.

 

I just read the story .... AN ATTORNEY!?!?

Are you fucking kidding me?

It's high school volleyball. Christ almighty.

 

She needs to choose better friends, I guess.

 

But it seems to be happening more and more. Like this case, which we had a long discussion about here.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/12/19/nh-judge-says-girl-can-stay-on-boys-hockey-team/

And in a very affluent town like Andover, I'm hardly surprised. Mommy and Daddy will buy their way out of it. I'm not saying I agree with the decision, I just hope the school department sticks to its guns despite the public outcry.

 

The number of high school kids over the years who could have three friends swear to the cops that they "just got there" when the party was broken up is precisely equal to the number of high school kids who have three friends. That's what your case-by-case basis would get you.

 

North Andover is actually a different town, though still somewhat affluent. And Wendy Murphy is a fairly prominent attorney so I'd imagine the family is doing pretty well.