Model student punished for helping drunk friend get home safely

The Daily Caller ^ | 10-15-2013 | Robby Soave

[Skepolitic]

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.

[mmichaels1970]

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.

[Little Ray]

Massachusetts. Anybody surprised?

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

[kevkrom]

“zero tolerance” = “zero ability to think”

The equation has been proven again with this story.

[HiTech RedNeck]

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.

[JimRed]

No good deed ever goes unpunished.

[Orangedog]

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

[HiTech RedNeck]

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

[frogjerk]

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.

[mmichaels1970]

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

I disagree.

[who knows what evil?]

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

[NonValueAdded]

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.

[mmichaels1970]

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.

[longfellow]

MASSHOLES!

[Truth29]

"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.

[mmichaels1970]

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.

[Orangedog]

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

[Silentgypsy]

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.

[Guttlekraw]

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.

[Guttlekraw]

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.)