High school party leads to suspensions

Published 1:00 pm Saturday, March 16, 2002

Twenty-six athletes at South Whidbey High School served suspensions this week after a school investigation turned up the fact they had been at a Feb. 23 party that involved alcohol.

High School Principal Mike Johnson said the suspensions are mandated by the school’s athletic code.

Five of the students admitted drinking alcohol at the party and received one-year suspensions. The remainder received one week suspensions for being in attendance at a party involving alcohol.

Under the code, students who use alcohol or drugs during the school year and who admit to that fact can receive three-week suspensions from athletics participation instead of one year if they agree to undergo a drug/alcohol evaluation and follow-up and complete eight hours of community service. Student athletes who are at a party involving alcohol who do not drink may be suspended from sports for from one to three weeks if they do not leave the party immediately upon learning of the presence of alcohol or drugs.

The party from which the suspensions resulted occurred at a South Whidbey home. No adults were home at the time of the event.

School administration learned of the party and athletic code violations through conversations between students and their teachers and coaches.

The gathering occurred after the high school’s annual Tolo dance.

Johnson did not specify which teams were affected by the suspensions. However, according to parents, the track and tennis teams were among them.

Johnson did say the school will continue to enforce the code, which was rewritten in 1998 to deter underage drinking, smoking and drug use.

Under the code, the school has no jurisdiction over non-athletes who engage in underage drinking.

Law enforcement was not involved in the incident and no citations for underage drinking were given out.