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Sunday, May 08, 2016

Wicomico County: Six High School Prom Attendees Face Discipline

Six High School Prom Attendees Face Discipline According to Code of Conduct in Connection with Alcohol Use

Last weekend’s prom for James M. Bennett High School was a special time for most students and their parents, but it also provided a clear reminder of the consequences of not following safe and legal procedures on a night of celebration. Please remember to celebrate safely on prom night and every other occasion: Alcohol use and possession by minors is illegal and can have dangerous consequences for everyone. Incidents involving alcohol will be dealt with firmly, with the best interests of students, others in the school, families, and the community in mind.

At the prom Saturday night, administrators and law enforcement personnel suspected alcohol use by seven attendees due to the attendees’ behavior and an odor of alcohol. A breath-testing device was used, and the device confirmed that alcoholic beverages had been consumed. The seven people, including one college student and six James M. Bennett High students, were not allowed to remain at prom, and parents of the high school students were contacted to pick them up.

The high school students and their parents were notified that students involved in alcohol use or possession will face discipline according to the school system’s Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct prohibits alcohol use or possession by students as a violation of public health and safety, and mandates a minimum penalty of five days of suspension plus five hours of mandatory counseling and 45 days of suspension from extracurricular activities.

54 comments:

Anonymous said...

SU president eshbach advice system.

Anonymous said...

They decided to ignore the "Code of Conduct" because they saw that the same code at SU wasn't enforced for Race comments.

Anonymous said...

They don't get 5 days suspension for bringing weed to school

Anonymous said...

Give me a freaking break. Kids have been drinking alcohol since the first prom. I'm glad I didn't go with some stuck up snob like the people who reported this. I understand the risk of drinking and driving. How do you know they weren't renting a limo together.

Anonymous said...

SAD
Kid that attacked teacher at WI Middle got two days IN SCHOOL SUSPENSION!!

Anonymous said...

Prom night and alcohol are synonymous. We rented out a whole hotel in OC years ago so that people weren't driving around but it's understood that kids are going to celebrate like this. I think the punishment was a bit excessive.

Anonymous said...

Wait...are you the same people that argue that staff needs to be held accountable for the actions of the students? Yet you argue here that since it's always happened this way it should be allowed to continue? I don't get it!

Anonymous said...

It is illegal by law for anyone under the age of 21 to drink alcohol no matter what, when or where.

Anonymous said...

7:59 are you serious?!!!!! And these kids get 5 days out of school suspension and counseling! Insane.

Anonymous said...

Praying that these young people and their parents take this as the wake up call that it is.......please take this seriously..... please take the opportunity to go to counseling and address the real issues of why they are drinking during the week,in the middle of the day,on many days of many weeks and NOT just at prom.......it could save their lives....

Anonymous said...

Has there ever been an alcohol free prom?

Ever?

I don't think so! I'll bet Alley Oop had a few drinks at his!

Anonymous said...

Praying for these young people and their parents.....praying that they take this seriously.....praying that they get the needed counseling to get to the real issues of why they are getting drunk many days of the week during the day for many months now......this wasn't just an isolated incident at prom......please get the needed help.....it could save your life..

Anonymous said...

Um yeah right.

Anonymous said...

Proms are a stupid waste of time and money.

Anonymous said...

I was a nerd in high school so I didn't drink. Lol.

Anonymous said...

Not very smart. They should have just smoked some pot and stayed out of trouble.

Anonymous said...

Do the crime do the time though

Anonymous said...

ask cathy townsend if she drank on prom night...she did.

Anonymous said...

Not true at all. Kid has not returned to this school and has been recommended for expulsion. Know the facts!!!

Tim said...

We had booze at our prom, it helped to get the girls to give it up after we had spent so much money on the prom. Prom, booze, and sex all went together as part of the right of passage.

Anonymous said...

One of the kids in the prom bus they took was in the restroom throwing up during grand March . That lead to random kids who were on the same bus being pulled from line. Not sure of the selection process. I do know that one of the kids breathalyzed blew a .012 so not sure how that person was seen as having intoxicated " behavior". A young man who wasn't pulled from line and attended prom had visible vomit on his pants.... If they were going to breathalize one kid they should have done it to them all. And as for the person saying these kids drink many days of the week , maybe you should ask yourself if your child that is telling you this is the one that needs to be prayed for. I will be sure to pray that they and you stop telling lies and spreading gossip.

Anonymous said...

Who gave the breath test? Was it a cop? If so then why weren't the students given citations? If it was a teacher .... They can't even do their own jobs yet alone a cops job that takes training.

Anonymous said...

7:52am....yes, that group had rented a limo for the night.


8:30am...You're right. Plus, each student attending the prom signs a pledge/contract/agreement that outlines the consequences if caught with alcohol. Not very smart on their part.


9:17am...a little overboard on the dramatics aren't we this morning? Counseling? Getting drunk many days of the week, for many months? I think you've got this group confused with some other group. I know four of the six. They're mostly honor students, involved in athletics and working part-time jobs, who have made an incredible mistake, for which they are paying for dearly. It's not the end of the world for them. They'll take their punishment and move forward. But there's no excusing what they did.


8:34am...my first reaction to. But they knew the deal when they purchased the prom ticket. It'll be a hard lesson learned.




Anonymous said...

Funny because I remember using booze to get the guys drunk so they would pass out and we wouldn't have to pretend to like them after they paid for our dinner.

Anonymous said...

Yes a cop.

Anonymous said...

My twins (boy and girl) both decided to opt out of going to their prom, both saying that it was a huge waste money to dress up for one night to celebrate nothing.
My daughter came to the realization as we were shopping for a prom gown -- she looked at me and said, "I'm going to pay $200 for this, wear it once, dry clean it for $15 and then put it in the closet until I pull it out ten years later to give to charity. I'm not going to do it. It's dumb." She's a smart girl.
My son looked at the $$ he would have to spend on a tux, flowers, transportation, meals, etc. and said, "Nope. Not going. I see those people every day and dressing them up for one night isn't going to change the way I feel about them."

Anonymous said...

If these teens had killed someone or themselves you would ALL be screaming to the high heavens "why didn't somebody monitor the kids". Doesn't matter if they went in a limo or party bus or not. None of us know if those kids would have gotten behind the wheel AFTER prom. You can smell alcohol....especially in sweat and vomit. These kids are shown drunk driving simulations, have had drunk prom-wrecked cars displayed on school property, and are warned repeatedly before prom by administration and LEOs. There is NO excuse. This was not a mistake.... It was a CHOICE. Personally...the penalties aren't strong enough. Perhaps if they were not permitted to walk with their class it would get the message across.

Anonymous said...

Well damn with that idea why even go to graduation, or play sports, or any dance? This is high school have fun before real life sets in. Sad to me that they are thinking that way 17. They should be living life to the fullest and grabbing every moment especially ones that don't come around again.

Anonymous said...

Much to do about nothing. These are good kids that screwed up. No one got hurt except their pride. Move on.

Anonymous said...

No, they ignored it because that's what some normal high school students do! Since forever! There's always someone drunk at prom, thinking they won't get caught! It's nice to know that they, administration, do enforce some of "code" but only when it won't have the DOJ brought down on them!

Anonymous said...

No it wasn't! They not only broke the "code" but literally the LAW! They are not 21! Legally they can't drink!

Anonymous said...

Teachers do their jobs the best they can with so many rules, tests and concessions!

Anonymous said...

It's a stupid dance! If I could go back, I woulda stuck to my guns of not going! I don't blame them, smart kids!

Anonymous said...

It's always a no win situation!

Anonymous said...

21 is the law for drinking alcohol. If you don't like, deal with the consequences.

Anonymous said...

There is NO excuse for drinking underage. Drinking is not needed to have fun. Been there without drinking.

Anonymous said...

Funny because I remember using booze to get the guys drunk so they would pass out and we wouldn't have to pretend to like them after they paid for our dinner.

May 4, 2016 at 10:58 AM

Is this misandry on your part 10:58? We hear a lot about men accused of misogyny these days but little or nothing about misandrist.

Anonymous said...

People wonder why kids use drugs. 21 to drink alcohol but you can buy weed, coke, heroin at any age. Drinking age should 18. The law says you are an adult, you can vote, get killed in the military but you can't drink. Makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

Oh here comes the God squad.

Anonymous said...

Ok. Just don't ask me to pick up a gun and fight for my country. If 18 is too young for me to drink in this country then it's certainly too young for me to die defending it.

Anonymous said...

People act like drinking is something when it is really nothing but drug use. 4:19 fighting for your country has nothing to do with being old enough to to drink. A lot of people fight for their country and die before they get to do the important things in life like loving someone, getting married, having children and a family. Maybe we shouldn't ask people to fight for their country until after they do the important stuff.

The saddest stories include the young people who survive the war and come home on leave to die in a drunken car accident.

Anonymous said...

It wouldn't matter if they came in on a plane! They are underage and should not had been drinking! They were wrong!!!

Anonymous said...

9:17 something is wrong with you.

Anonymous said...

I agree and I am 32 and in the military, America can't have it both ways.

Anonymous said...

Hog bull#$@&

Anonymous said...

allot of crying here about kids drinking....you should visit OC sometime...

Anonymous said...

11;04 ... Why wasn't the teen charged then? Cited at the minimum. And that should be all. No suspension. If a cop sees a student do wrong then he should handle it and it's done. If it's a crime. If it's not a crime then no cop should be needed and handled in house by suspension etc. Unless its a violent crime. Then and only then should both be involved.

Anonymous said...

10:51... No minor can enter into a legal contract. Would never stand.

Anonymous said...

Maybe.how about we check out Facebook,Twitter,snap chat and all the other social media available.be careful you just might see a few parents alongside the one time offenders

Anonymous said...

The folks on here must know these kids. Lol. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander. Shouldnt b a arguement. There are consequences for ones behavior. If they were going to drink They should have waited until after prom in a safe place. Kids now are way too cocky & arrogant & believe the rules dont apply to them. If they were not punished it would set a standard. They r lucky they still get to participate in commencement. Ruining everyones nite.

Anonymous said...

But they allow a girl to almost be killed and do nothing.

Anonymous said...

PRUDE!

Anonymous said...

Now thats funny!

Anonymous said...

The 5 days are held against them, it is like a mini vacay. So stupid, if you are going to do the crime then the punishment should count. What does this teach them later in life - from seeing this happen - NOTHING -they think they can continue to act like spoiled, above the law brats!

bayman said...

A few idiots screw it up for the many. Honor students? So much for their honor. I guess we need some new bumper stickers. "My child is an honor student and can drink more alcohol than your child".