Mass. student punished for aiding drunken friend

[tangent4ronpaul]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/10/15/mass-student-opposes-punishment-for-aiding-friend/LCIJFMJXQNi7jeiuDiraqJ/story.html

A Massachusetts high school senior lost her volleyball team captaincy and was suspended for five games for what she says was an effort to help a drunken friend.

North Andover High School’s Erin Cox says she got a call two weeks ago from a friend at a party who said she was too drunk to drive. She said she went to pick up the friend, because she didn’t want the friend driving drunk or getting into a vehicle with an intoxicated driver.

By the time Erin arrived at the party, police were already there. They arrested several students for underage possession of alcohol.

Erin was cleared by police for not drinking or being in the possession of alcohol, but that didn’t stop school officials from punishing her for violating a no tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol, her mother, Eleanor Cox, told WBZ-TV.

‘‘She did what she thought was right, and I'm very proud of her,’’ Eleanor Cox said.

The family has hired a lawyer and filed a lawsuit last week, but a judge ruled the court did not have jurisdiction.

Neither the school superintendent nor principal immediately responded to telephone messages left Tuesday.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Massachusetts said while Erin had good intentions, her friend should have called an adult.

-t

[tangent4ronpaul]

2 new details emerge, [VIDEO at link]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/massachusetts-honor-student-erin-cox-punished-giving-drunken-20573613

She's an honor student
She's pretty HOT!

-t

[tod evans]

MADD can suck eggs.

[dannno]

Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Massachusetts said while Erin had good intentions, her friend should have called an adult.

-t

Why call an adult? Most of them are asleep at that hour and would probably get into a crash on the way there. Fucking retard.

[amy31416]

Let me tell you how quick that kid would be driving drunk if the only option were calling an adult...I'd give it ten seconds.

[donnay]

Zero Tolerance policies are insane. What this girl did should be commended, not reprimanded and suspended. What a bunch of imbeciles. :mad:

[Ender]

Zero Tolerance policies are insane. What this girl did should be commended, not reprimanded and suspended. What a bunch of imbeciles. :mad:

Agreed- 1000%.

[Keith and stuff]

Shame, shame shame! Government high schools shouldn't be in the business of encouraging high school kids to drink.
390265664331456512

[osan]

MADD can suck eggs.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to tod evans again.


Could someone pony up for me?

Fuck MADD.

[ZENemy]

Why call an adult? Most of them are asleep at that hour and would probably get into a crash on the way there. Fucking retard.

Yea, I dont get what the adult would have done different?

[osan]

2 new details emerge, [VIDEO at link]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/massachusetts-honor-student-erin-cox-punished-giving-drunken-20573613

She's an honor student
She's pretty HOT!

-t

Hooboy... someone needs to get out a little more.

And what the hell is this zero tolerance bullshit? Since when does a school have any say in what a student does off-campus? I grew up with wine at meals - are they suggesting they can punish a student for having wine with dinner? Who are these idiots? From what cloning facility do they issue? I ask because no matter where in the USA you look, school administrators are ALL operating from the exact same playbook. It is SO perfectly uniform that I swear it gives me the creeps. It is as if every last one of them went to the same training facility, had the same instructors, and were given the same lobotomies.

Were I a parent of school-age children, I would not have them in such places as public schools, but if for some reason I had to and they pulled his shit on one of mine, they'd have to pry me off them with a pinch bar because I would be on them like stink on rice.

[tangent4ronpaul]

A zero tolerance policy, hu?

Can you imagine the shitstorm that would come down if they suspended every student that attended church on Sunday and accepted communion?

-t

[Paulbot99]

A zero tolerance policy, hu?

Can you imagine the shitstorm that would come down if they suspended every student that attended church on Sunday and accepted communion?

-t

They will eventually. Remember to homeschool your kids.

[Occam's Banana]

Let me tell you how quick that kid would be driving drunk if the only option were calling an adult...I'd give it ten seconds.

But of course! What use would there be for Mothers Against Drunk Driving without drunk drivers? Moral hazard FTW!!!

[bolil]

MADD doesn't seem to give two shits a piss about innocents being murdered. Fuck them, hypocrites.

MADD, ruining lives since inception.

[seraphson]

Bet my bottom dollar over half these busy bodies got shitfaced before they were 21. Bunch of double standard hypocritical shit heads.

[Keith and stuff]

MADD is so bad it likely supports primary adult seat belt laws. Anyone that supports primary adult seat belt laws is either ignorant or evil!

[fr33]

MADD is kind of like NORML. If drunk drivers didn't exist and pot was legal, both groups would not exist. They don't want that. They want whatever power they can get.

[GregSarnowski]

MADD is kind of like NORML. If drunk drivers didn't exist and pot was legal, both groups would not exist. They don't want that. They want whatever power they can get.

I did notice that NORML had been around since the 70s but no laws ever seemed to change until MPP (Marijuana Policy Project) came into being maybe a decade ago.

WRT to this thread, ridiculous how a judge dismisses the lawsuit off hand for "lack of jurisdiction". How is there lack of jurisdiction when it is a government school, that her parents and everyone else has been forced to pay for (probably not leaving them with enough to pursue other educational options) and she is required by law to attend? A bunch of hypocrites who want it both ways -- "public" when exhorting money or compelling attendance, yet "private" when it comes to being held accountable for their actions.

[Mani]

I don't quite get the ZERO Tolerance for drugs and alcohol policy which she violated.

The cops say she didn't drink, she's in the clear. So it's been established she didn't drink. So what did she exactly violate? She was around alcohol?


So if she's at the dinner table at home and her parents are drinking did she violate the policy?


If she's at TGIF and someone orders a beer at her table, did she violate the policy? The fact that she's at a restaurant that SERVES alcohol is that in violation of the policy?

If she's at a 4th of July BBQ and there is alcohol being served which she's not partaking, is she in violation?


WTF. If the person didn't drink why would she be busted?


When I was the age of 16-20 there were many many many times I was at HS parties where drinking was taking place but just didn't participate. And same when I was in college, I was at various parties and didn't drink. So I would have been busted for violating a policy because other people around me were drinking? I don't fucking get it at all.

[fr33]

I don't quite get the ZERO Tolerance for drugs and alcohol policy which she violated.

The cops say she didn't drink, she's in the clear. So it's been established she didn't drink. So what did she exactly violate? She was around alcohol?


So if she's at the dinner table at home and her parents are drinking did she violate the policy?


If she's at TGIF and someone orders a beer at her table, did she violate the policy? The fact that she's at a restaurant that SERVES alcohol is that in violation of the policy?

If she's at a 4th of July BBQ and there is alcohol being served which she's not partaking, is she in violation?


WTF. If the person didn't drink why would she be busted?


When I was the age of 16-20 there were many many many times I was at HS parties where drinking was taking place but just didn't participate. And same when I was in college, I was at various parties and didn't drink. So I would have been busted for violating a policy because other people around me were drinking? I don't fucking get it at all.
She protected someone from becoming the victim of the state. They prefer her friend be dead or in jail. That's what they prefer for most of us. By "they", I mean the prosecutors, police, school administrators, and MADD. They need prisoners and statistics that favor the cause of needing their positions..

[Mani]

She protected someone from becoming the victim of the state. They prefer her friend be dead or in jail. That's what they prefer for most of us. By "they", I mean the prosecutors, police, school administrators, and MADD. They need prisoners and statistics that favor the cause of needing their positions..


I know that for sure. They were disappointed one student almost escaped the punishment of actually drinking underage. That would have been a travesty for them to miss the opportunity to lecture and admonish a student for drinking underage. They hate it when students try to be proactive and come up with solutions on their own, instead of calling an "authoritative figure" to teach them a lesson.

I'm just confused by a policy that doesn't allow an underage person to be around alcohol at all. If she goes to a football game and everyone in the stands around her is drunk, did she just violate the policy?

I just don't get how the policy works.

[GregSarnowski]

I know that for sure. They were disappointed one student almost escaped the punishment of actually drinking underage. That would have been a travesty for them to miss the opportunity to lecture and admonish a student for drinking underage. They hate it when students try to be proactive and come up with solutions on their own, instead of calling an "authoritative figure" to teach them a lesson.

I'm just confused by a policy that doesn't allow an underage person to be around alcohol at all. If she goes to a football game and everyone in the stands around her is drunk, did she just violate the policy?

I just don't get how the policy works.

It's probably her being around illegal/underage use of alcohol that is the issue. Not that it isn't a horrible policy but no doubt that is how it is justified.

As someone pointed out up thread, if her friend's only option was to "call an adult", then no one would have been called at all.

[Mani]

It's probably her being around illegal/underage use of alcohol that is the issue. Not that it isn't a horrible policy but no doubt that is how it is justified.

As someone pointed out up thread, if her friend's only option was to "call an adult", then no one would have been called at all.

Ah ok. But that could still happen in TGIF, or a football game or other scenarios. I just don't see how a policy like that could be implemented fairly on a person who's not drinking.

If they want to punish an underage drinker OK...but the people who did not participate, I don't think that's fair. A friend could have a fake ID at a bar or anywhere and later get busted. I don't see how it's appropriate to punish the non-drinkers.

So much of encouraging people to have a sober friend with you the whole night or in your time of need to make sure nothing happens to you. Whether it be drunk driving, getting into a fight, getting sexual assaulted. Etc. A lot of times the sober friend can be the difference. How many times have we seen the high school girl end up wasted with a bunch of horny stupid HS kids and shit goes bad fast.

A great thing to prevent that, is if that drunk girl had a sober friend with her to stop it from getting out of control. But that Sober friend would be suspended if she's around those kids and the place gets busted. So WTF kind of message is it sending? Leave your drunk friends alone at the party, if they get raped, beatup, or arrested, or kill someone during a DUI, at least you didn't get suspended.

[Mini-Me]

As usual, "zero tolerance" => "zero common sense."

[GregSarnowski]

To understand you have to put yourself in the head of a tyrannical school administrator -- being around unsanctioned activity and not immediately reporting it to "authorities" is a form of insubordination. These people live in a fairy tail land where the actual real life consequences of their ineffective and unrealistic policies matters not.

[Mani]

To understand you have to put yourself in the head of a tyrannical school administrator -- being around unsanctioned activity and not immediately reporting it to "authorities" is a form of insubordination. These people live in a fairy tail land where the actual real life consequences of their ineffective and unrealistic policies matters not.

Well Said.

[libertyjam]

A fact that retarded MADD duffusses miss is that nearly every high school senior is legally considered an adult.

[cajuncocoa]

Zero Tolerance policies are insane. What this girl did should be commended, not reprimanded and suspended. What a bunch of imbeciles. :mad:

Yep.

[Todd]

I vote for a forum thread devoted to idiotic laws and policy.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

I vote for a forum thread devoted to idiotic laws and policy.

There's not enough bandwidth in the galaxy.

[TruckinMike]

MADD is kind of like NORML. If drunk drivers didn't exist and pot was legal, both groups would not exist. They don't want that. They want whatever power they can get.
Yes, they need, thus want drunks on the street. How do I know? I used to teach a state sanctioned class to "servers". Texas law would reduce liability on bars/restaurants if they had their servers trained in responsible alcohol service. MADD was vehemently against this class. Gee, I wonder why...???

[fisharmor]

This reminds me of my senior prom.
I didn't go to the event because I didn't know half of my graduating class and I didn't like most of the ones I knew. But I had a lot of friends and a plan.
We would get a bunch of beer and have a park party. There was a park right down the road which I knew was quiet as a graveyard after dark, enough out of the way that we wouldn't attract attention, close enough to my house that I could get home without trouble, and had plenty of exits on all sides. So we had a party instead of going to prom.

Well I was sitting talking to my GF about an hour into it, when all of a sudden I heard a smacking noise and her dipshit friend yelling "DANA!!! HELP ME!!!"
So she and I ran over and discovered that somehow this girl had gotten her front tooth busted and it was sticking through her lip.
Well, guess who was the only guy there who wasn't drinking by that time... I had to drop the GF at home and had to stay bone dry.

So I spent the night of my senior prom in an emergency room.

First the cop showed up and started asking questions about what happened. And I told him. I couldn't get through to him initially that we had no idea how it happened unless someone had thrown a bottle randomly (it was dark) and it happened to smack her in the mouth.
But after 4-5 questions it became clear to the 17-year-old I was back then what he was all about... what they're always all about... he was looking for someone to bust. When I didn't give him a name he immediately got on the radio and sent someone out to the park to pick up whoever was stupid enough to still be there.
(They've been blatantly opportunistic assholes since I started paying attention.)

Though in retrospect, I'm lucky it was 1992, because he would have gotten me on something these days.

Then about 10 minutes later her parents showed up and something happened which has nursed what little faith I have in humanity for 21 years now.

I walked up to her parents - with hair hanging down halfway to my ass, a goatee, and a Metallica T-shirt - and introduced myself. I told them that the park had been my idea and that I am ultimately responsible for her daughter being there. I explained the situation and that it was an accident. And I apologized.

And her father looked me in the eye and said "I'm glad you were there."

[tangent4ronpaul]

Police e-mail surfaces backing high school athlete suspended for aiding drunk friend
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/18/police-e-mail-surfaces-backing-high-school-athlete-suspended-for-aiding-drunk/?cmpid=GoogleNewsEditorsPicks&google_editors_picks=true




As the Massachusetts high school volleyball player suspended for coming to the aid of a boozed-up pal served out the final game of her punishment Friday, an e-mail penned by a police officer that appears to exonerate her has come to light.


North Andover High School’s Erin Cox was on the sidelines Wednesday for the Scarlet Knights’most recent outing against rival Tewksbury, ESPNBoston.com reports. The 17-year-old suspended for five games and stripped of her captaincy reportedly cheered on her teammates in a straight-set win.

Meanwhile, the North Andover Citizen newspaper reports it obtained an e-mail sent by Boxford Police Officer Brian Neeley to the North Andover Public School administration in the wake of the party that sparked the national brouhaha.

In the electronic note, Neeley reportedly writes: “I responded with several other officers to an under aged party 732 Main St., Boxford. Erin Cox was one of many people under the age of 21 at the residence. I had the opportunity to speak with and observe Erin Cox while waiting for her mother to arrive.

“Erin did not have the slightest odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person. She was polite, articulate, steady on her feet, and very remorseful for her decision to go into the residence but was only helping out a friend that had called her for a ride. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.”

Cox was suspended for five games after coming to the aid of the drunken friend, who had requested a ride home. Minutes after Cox arrived, Boxford police did, as well. Students were either arrested or cited for underage possession of alcohol.

North Andover Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Hutchinson has remained intransigent despite the officer’s e-mail.

In a statement to FoxNews.com, Hutchinson wrote, “While some may decry the Administration’s actions as unfair or inconsistent with the principles of due process, our Administration wholeheartedly disagrees.

“To be clear, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that participation in interscholastic athletics is a privilege. Rather than simply revoking the privilege, our Administration has consistently afforded its student-athletes a reasonable opportunity to be heard before a disciplinary decision is made."

In another twist, a lawyer representing the Cox family tells FoxNews.com the suspension could derail Cox’s intent to play collegiate volleyball. Cox, according to statistics from Maxpreps.com, is an outstanding player who has accumulated 835 assists, 82 aces, 185 digs and 59 kills over 108 total varsity sets played.

“They aren’t sure and have gotten mixed answers,” says Wendy Murphy, the lawyer who sued the North Andover School District last week.

In response to the suit, a state judge ruled he had no jurisdiction. However, Murphy and Cox’s family have vowed to pursue the case – including actions against Principal Carla Scuzzarella and the District Attorney, Geoffrey Bok – in federal court.

The imbroglio has roiled community members such that a North Andover High School alum has begun an online petition drive in Cox’s name.

CBS News reports 33-year-old Matt Holland, himself a one-time school athlete, created the so-called, “Erin Cox Award for Exemplary Action,” on the site gofundme.com.

Holland told the news outlet his goal is to raise $1,000, which could then be used as a quasi-scholarship for Cox.

"I don't think they have the legal authority to do this," Holland reportedly said in reference to the school district, adding that as of Wednesday morning, his online effort had raised a total of $485.

As for Cox, ESPNBoston.com reports she will return to action Friday against Billerica. The senior, who has largely remained silent since the story broke, did speak to The Boston Herald on Sunday.

“I wasn’t drinking,” she reportedly said. “And I felt like going to get her was the right thing to do. Saving her from getting in the car when she was intoxicated and hurt herself or getting in the car with someone else who was drinking. I’d give her a ride home…I just feel very defeated. When you’re in high school you’re supposed to stay perfect and be perfect, but everyone makes mistakes.”

The Herald wrote that when asked whether should repeat her actions, Cox answered that she wouldn’t change a thing.

-t

[Anti Federalist]

MADD is so bad it likely supports primary adult seat belt laws. Anyone that supports primary adult seat belt laws is either ignorant or evil!

You've mentioned this a number of times lately.

Let me guess, NH is gearing up to pass a seat belt law?

Be about right, considering that crop of assholes in Concord right now.

[Anti Federalist]

As usual, "zero tolerance" => "zero common sense."

Has nothing to do with common sense or addressing an issue through policy.

It does what it is supposed to do, teaches Compliance Above All.

Doesn't matter whether compliance is smart, solves the issue, makes matters worse, or does nothing.

Solving the problem is not what the future Mundanes need to worry about.

That will be handled by the Ubermensch.

No, they just need to comply, without question or hesitation.

[mz10]

North Andover is my hometown. Without giving away too many private details or anything, I can assure you all that this story isn't nearly as straight-forward as its being made out to be. To say that she was just picking up her friends from the party is a little misleading.

[dannno]

North Andover is my hometown. Without giving away too many private details or anything, I can assure you all that this story isn't nearly as straight-forward as its being made out to be. To say that she was just picking up her friends from the party is a little misleading.

So the officer is lying, or was she drinking at the party?

Really, I don't give a fuck though, I think it is retarded to not let kids play sports because of what they choose to do on their own time. Especially at a public school,

[libertyjam]

North Andover is my hometown. Without giving away too many private details or anything, I can assure you all that this story isn't nearly as straight-forward as its being made out to be. To say that she was just picking up her friends from the party is a little misleading.

Right, because the small town rumor mill is always so much more reliable than first hand eye-witnesses. :rolleyes:

[kcchiefs6465]

North Andover is my hometown. Without giving away too many private details or anything, I can assure you all that this story isn't nearly as straight-forward as its being made out to be. To say that she was just picking up her friends from the party is a little misleading.
What part of her behavior did the school have any authority over?

[fr33]

What part of her behavior did the school have any authority over?
I'm just speculating but when I participated in high school sports in the 90s we had to sign a contract that we would not drink and would not be around minors consuming alcohol (a contract I broke). Maybe she was at the party but not drinking.

[mz10]

Right, because the small town rumor mill is always so much more reliable than first hand eye-witnesses. :rolleyes:

I'm still not that far removed from high school, so the rumors I hear are from people who may actually know what happened, not the old men at Dunkin Donuts :)

[mz10]

What part of her behavior did the school have any authority over?

MIAA rules are very strict. I don't necessarily agree with all their rules but they are in place.

[osan]

MIAA rules are very strict. I don't necessarily agree with all their rules but they are in place.

I guess that makes it all OK.

[libertyjam]

I'm still not that far removed from high school, so the rumors I hear are from people who may actually know what happened, not the old men at Dunkin Donuts :)

About the only thing less reliable at the truth than cops is the fukin' telephone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_whispers) relay of stories among high school students.

[kcchiefs6465]

I'm just speculating but when I participated in high school sports in the 90s we had to sign a contract that we would not drink and would not be around minors consuming alcohol (a contract I broke). Maybe she was at the party but not drinking.
I have heard of this but never played sports for school. Something about that no matter what there is no right to play sports, it is a privilege, and that you can be suspended for anything they deem uncharacteristic of their program. (from bad grades to selling drugs)

Much of what I've seen, at least in the cities where football is the city's life, no one really follows through with the "contract."

In any case, generic, snare all "contracts" sold as legitimate to minors hold no bearing whatsoever in my opinion. As a young child we all signed one that we would not smoke tobacco or drink alcohol. A lot of propaganda involved to even have us sign that.

I would argue personally that the said "contracts" are null and void simply on the fact that they are pressured onto the children to play the sport they want to and of course not to mention that they are children.

They use this "contract" nonsense as a means to encroach into the family life of anyone who wishes to play sports or compete. (and not to wander off topic but some [young or otherwise] children are "medicated" as a result of this overt [government] advice)

[Anti Federalist]

MIAA rules are very strict. I don't necessarily agree with all their rules but they are in place.


I guess that makes it all OK.

See?

The system works.

Compliance achieved.

[mz10]

http://valleypatriot.com/breaking-erin-cox-in-lawrence-district-court-for-possession-of-alcohol-family-giving-donations-back/

Told you she was lying

[fr33]

http://valleypatriot.com/breaking-erin-cox-in-lawrence-district-court-for-possession-of-alcohol-family-giving-donations-back/

Told you she was lying

According to the article the only proof the police have are the snitches commenting on facebook and blog comments. They cleared her of any wrong-doing but are now charging her with an MIP due to accusations of students....

[mz10]

According to the article the only proof the police have are the snitches commenting on facebook and blog comments. They cleared her of any wrong-doing but are now charging her with an MIP due to accusations of students....

Her family is returning donations. Not saying she should be charged but I think it's pretty clear she lied.

[dannno]

Parents of children at the drinking party posted on the WGBH Boston blog, stating that all students at the party were driven home by parents, none were driven home by students and that Erin was at the party for a long time prior to the arrival of police.

What a bunch of crap.

There is no fucking way that "ALL STUDENTS AT THE PARTY WERE DRIVEN HOME BY PARENTS." That is just fucking bullshit. And how would the parents know Erin was at the party for a long time if they weren't even at the party, but just came to pick up their kids??

I don't know if I can believe anything else they said.

Can we actually have some real quotes posted by parents and/or students? Not that it matters, it sounds like if she had anything to drink she was still sober enough to drive home, and I don't think public schools should be dictating students lives outside of school.

[mz10]

What a bunch of crap.

There is no fucking way that "ALL STUDENTS AT THE PARTY WERE DRIVEN HOME BY PARENTS." That is just fucking bullshit. And how would the parents know Erin was at the party for a long time if they weren't even at the party, but just came to pick up their kids??

I don't know if I can believe anything else they said.

Can we actually have some real quotes posted by parents and/or students? Not that it matters, it sounds like if she had anything to drink she was still sober enough to drive home, and I don't think public schools should be dictating students lives outside of school.

Guys, I live in this town. I know what happened. Trust me, I hate the police state in our country just as much as you do, but the girl lied. She was drunk at the party. Saying what actually happened doesn't make me a tool of the Establishment or a statist. You can choose to believe me, or choose not to, it literally makes no difference to me, but I'm telling you what happened.

You are free to have your own opinion on what the school/police should have done differently, I agree that the drinking age should be lowered/eliminated and kids shouldn't be punished for what they do outside of school, but the facts of this story are the facts. It's not a conspiracy - she lied.