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Model student punished for helping drunk friend get home safely
The Daily Caller ^ | 10-15-2013 | Robby Soave

Posted on 10/15/2013 7:29:05 AM PDT by servo1969

School “zero tolerance” policies claimed another victim as Massachusetts high school student Erin Cox was suspended from her volleyball team after giving an intoxicated friend a ride home from a party.

Police determined that Cox had not consumed alcohol, and agreed that the honors student had only come to a party featuring underage drinking in order to make sure a friend got home safely.

But Andover High School decided to punish Cox anyway, determining that she had violated the school district’s zero tolerance policy against drug and alcohol use. Cox was demoted from her position as captain of the volleyball team, and suspended for five games.

According to AHS’s student handbook, student athletes are forbidden from “knowingly being and remaining in the presence of other minors using alcohol or illegal drugs or controlled substances.” Since Cox admittedly attended the party–in order to help her drunk friend–she violated the policy.

But Cox’s mother says she did the right thing, regardless of district policy.

“She didn’t do anything wrong,” said Eleanor Cox. “She did what she thought was right, and I’m very proud of her.”

The Cox family hired a lawyer, hoping to get Erin’s punishment reversed. But the school doubled down, even claiming that Erin had been arrested by the police while picking up her friend. This was a lie, according to CBS News.

The situation has greatly distressed Erin, a model student, said her mother.

“She’s very fragile and I’m worried about her,” said the mother.

An Alabama high school student recently committed suicide after facing harsh disciplinary measures — including possible registration as a sex offender — because he went streaking at a football game. (RELATED: Student threatened with sex offender status commits suicide)

AHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


TOPICS: Education; Health/Medicine; Local News; Society; Sports
KEYWORDS: 2ndthread; drunk; school; student; tolerance; zerotolerance
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To: servo1969
Students must be face consequences when they disobey, especially in cases like this. This student thought she was above the rules, that the rules somehow did not apply in her case.

Children must be taught to OBEY. They must be taught never to question authority or to use reasoning skills and moral precepts to guide their behavior.

This is necessary to socialize students to function as good citizens in the future. We must all obey our Fuhrer.

/sarc/

It would be nice if her entire team resigned in protest, but doubtful that today's students would value a protest for justice as much as the resume-enhancement that team participation adds to their college applications.

21 posted on 10/15/2013 7:56:03 AM PDT by Skepolitic
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To: RadiationRomeo
The girl attended the party from the beginning knowing full well that it is a violation of the athletic policy. Is this the case?

I'd guess she doesn't know anything about the athletic policy specifically. But I'm reading that she went to the party to make sure her friend got home safe.

I wonder if the other drunk kids are on their own.
22 posted on 10/15/2013 7:56:43 AM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: servo1969

Massachusetts. Anybody surprised?

And just think - the GOP nominated a former governor of this cesspit as its most recent presidential candidate...


23 posted on 10/15/2013 7:56:55 AM PDT by Little Ray (How did I end up in this hand-basket, and why is it getting so hot?)
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To: servo1969

“zero tolerance” = “zero ability to think”

The equation has been proven again with this story.


24 posted on 10/15/2013 7:57:37 AM PDT by kevkrom (It's not "immigration reform", it's an "amnesty bill". Take back the language!)
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To: RadiationRomeo

It looks like it, and that would be unwise of course.

Better to advise the friend not to get so intoxicated she couldn’t drive, that life means more than getting buzzed at a party. But still, not saying no later if she did get that “desperate call.” Honors students should be honorable, but maybe I’m just being a Neanderthal here.


25 posted on 10/15/2013 7:57:44 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (The Lion of Judah will roar again if you give him a big hug and a cheer and mean it. See my page.)
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To: servo1969

No good deed ever goes unpunished.


26 posted on 10/15/2013 7:58:01 AM PDT by JimRed (Excise the cancer before it kills us; feed & water the Tree of Liberty! TERM LIMITS NOW & FOREVER!)
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To: mmichaels1970

There is no situation so bad that can’t be made worse by calling the cops.


27 posted on 10/15/2013 7:58:34 AM PDT by Orangedog (An optimist is someone who tells you to 'cheer up' when things are going his way)
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To: JimRed

Looks like a mixed situation, with no clear shining halo on anybody.


28 posted on 10/15/2013 7:59:04 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (The Lion of Judah will roar again if you give him a big hug and a cheer and mean it. See my page.)
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To: mmichaels1970
I think that would be being a rat.

The drinking age was 18 at one time but all of the states raised it to keep their federal highway money. It wasn't raised because there was some sort of moral awakening in the country. If you can die for your country I think you should be able to have a drink at 18.

Either way she prevented the possibility of her friend hurting someone else by driving either buzzed or intoxicated.

29 posted on 10/15/2013 8:00:02 AM PDT by frogjerk (We are conservatives. Not libertarians, not "fiscal conservatives", not moderates)
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To: Orangedog
There is no situation so bad that can’t be made worse by calling the cops.

I disagree.
30 posted on 10/15/2013 8:02:22 AM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: servo1969

Proving once again that there are ‘Two Americas’...the solution for this family? Penske.


31 posted on 10/15/2013 8:04:04 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: servo1969

Is there not an argument that “zero tolerance” is by definition a violation of a person’s due process rights?

ZT may have its genesis due to the tort bar but it surely has been embraced as a refuge for incompetent administrators.


32 posted on 10/15/2013 8:06:35 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (Occupy the DC Mall - take back the monuments)
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To: frogjerk
I think that would be being a rat.

I personally know somebody who was drugged and raped at an underage drinking party.

I will do what I can to bust up everyone I ever hear about. I will encourage my children to "rat" at least to me as well.

I understand that her natural teenage reaction was to do what she did. I also understand the stigma kids try to avoid by not being a "rat" or a "narc". But let's not go putting her up on some "hero" pedestal here IMHO.

I believe real courage requires you to be the "rat" sometimes.
33 posted on 10/15/2013 8:07:21 AM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: servo1969

MASSHOLES!


34 posted on 10/15/2013 8:08:20 AM PDT by longfellow (Bill Maher, the 21st hijacker.)
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To: servo1969
"The Cox family hired a lawyer, hoping to get Erin’s punishment reversed. But the school doubled down, even claiming that Erin had been arrested by the police while picking up her friend. This was a lie, according to CBS News."

If this accurate, then the family has another tool for the family attorney to use against the school and school officials. That sounds like malicious slander.

35 posted on 10/15/2013 8:08:52 AM PDT by Truth29
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To: frogjerk
Either way she prevented the possibility of her friend hurting someone else by driving either buzzed or intoxicated.

And an anonymous report to the police could have prevented EVERYBODY at the party from hurting themselves or someone else.
36 posted on 10/15/2013 8:09:20 AM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: mmichaels1970

Maybe in a time when every suburb didn’t have a SWAT team and we weren’t living in a police state, but these a very different times


37 posted on 10/15/2013 8:11:05 AM PDT by Orangedog (An optimist is someone who tells you to 'cheer up' when things are going his way)
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To: DesertRhino

Good concept w/exception of “everyone showing up at school.” They get $ for each occupied desk. Stay out of school and school loses some funding. Remove funding from a lib and see how quickly they abandon their principles.


38 posted on 10/15/2013 8:13:21 AM PDT by Silentgypsy (the seed spawn of zor-ketthraa!.)
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To: mmichaels1970
If she KNEW there was going to be a party with underage drinking, then she knew crimes were about to be committed. She also knew that the physical safety of the kids at the party was at risk.
So, doesn't it stand to reason if she is a model student and didn't do anything wrong, she should have at least anonymously reported this before it happened?

First, the facts do not fit that scenario:

Two weeks ago, a friend of 17-year-old Erin Cox messaged her and said she was too drunk to drive home from a party she was attending in Boxford, CBS Boston reports.
Cox drove to the home and snaked through a crowd of teens to find her friend....
Second, there is (with a few limited exceptions, such as signatories to an honor code specifically requiring it) no general obligation to report a crime, much less to report a possible crime that might or might not happen.
39 posted on 10/15/2013 8:13:57 AM PDT by Guttlekraw
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To: RadiationRomeo
Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but this girl did not get a desperate midnight call from her friend for help.

Yes she did.

(Link to another account that clarifies this point.)

40 posted on 10/15/2013 8:13:57 AM PDT by Guttlekraw
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