Friday, October 24, 2014
By ROBERT CONNELLY
BOARDMAN
Boardman High School has punished an unknown number of students for underage drinking at last Friday’s home football game.
Timothy Saxton, Boardman school district director of operations, said he would not specify the grade level or number of students, but he did say more than one student was involved.
“There was suspicion that a student may have used alcohol that was investigated and that led to potential other infractions,” he said.
The investigation was finalized over the last few days and parents were contacted, Saxton added.
“Has it happened before? Yes, unfortunately. When you have 1,500 teenagers in a building, there is a chance some may make bad decisions. ... We do whatever we can to be proactive and teach them to make positive choices,” said Saxton.
Unfortunately, he noted, the episode happened at the Boardman Spartans’ first win of the season.
According to the student handbook, the penalty for a first alcohol-related offense is a home suspension for a maximum of 10 days with a recommendation for expulsion. A second offense is a 10-day suspension and another recommendation for expulsion. Other possible results of violations are suspensions of an instruction permit or driver’s license or denial of an opportunity to obtain one of those.
The suspended parties will not be allowed to make up school work they miss.
“It can be a 10-day suspension — we have the ability to reduce it and we will reduce it if they follow the recommendations of the administration,” he said.
Those include cooperation, telling the truth, and if it is an alcohol-related event, an informal assessment by the district’s counseling staff.
“Usually students will follow those recommendations. Most do not want to take that 10-day suspension,” Saxton explained.
During a suspension, students are not allowed to be on school grounds or to contact teachers.