Posted on 11/08/2002 9:08:26 AM PST by Temple Owl
PTA ex-president guilty in teens' wayward party
Capital High students drank alcohol and watched stripper at Mason County cabin
ALMA D. SHARPE
THE OLYMPIAN
A former PTA president was convicted Wednesday of providing alcohol, hiring a stripper and allowing drugs at a birthday party in April for her 16-year-old son and his friends. All the boys are Capital High School students.
Joan Boysen, 47, of Olympia admitted in court that she had organized the party at her family's summer cabin in Hoodsport.
She was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 60 days of home detention and 30 days of community service and was fined $15,000.
Court documents indicate the former Jefferson Middle School PTA president and her husband, Ken Boysen, were present for most of the party during which the youths drank alcohol, smoked marijuana and were entertained by the stripper. Her 13-year-old son also was present.
"I invited the stripper, allowed alcohol and showed some of the boys how to roll a m.j. cigarette," she said in a signed statement.
Documents also state that the boys drank and smoked marijuana throughout the weekend. Some passed out; one vomited on himself as he lay in a bathtub.
The stripper told officials Boysen told her they "were well-to-do and really looked up to by many in the community." She said Boysen asked her to come dressed as a police officer.
While the party was in April, Boysen was taken into custody, charged and convicted on Wednesday. Attorneys on both sides agreed to the charges prior to the proceedings.
Boysen cried throughout the morning court session and regretted what happened, said her attorney, Larry King.
"She's extremely distraught and remorseful," King said. "She had planned to speak on her own behalf (in court) but was incapable of speaking due to the fact that she realized she made several judgment errors."
While she did not provide the boys with the marijuana, Boysen did take it from the boys at one point, returning it only after they cleaned the cabin following the party.
The party had gone further than Boysen anticipated, King said.
"She came prepared to do the jail time," King said. Boysen began the sentence Wednesday.
Ken Boysen refused to comment when reached at their home Wednesday afternoon.
Mason County Prosecutor Gary Burleson said the case was unprecedented in his memory.
"This was excessive, unbelievably excessive," he said. "There was no hint of responsibility and total disregard for the rules, the law and morality."
Boysen was convicted of one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, which is a felony, furnishing liquor to minors and allowing minors on the premises of a live erotic performance, both of which are misdemeanors.
Boysen, who has two children in Olympia schools, was active at Jefferson last year, said Shelley Carr, spokeswoman for the Olympia School District.
"She contributed a lot to the school," she said.
Officials at the schools attended by the Boysen children were alerted to Wednesday's developments and will ensure they aren't harassed by other students, Carr said.
Court documents indicate that the parents of the youths at the party were not aware of what would be taking place.
Karan Wade, the mother of one boy, said she called Boysen before the party to make sure there would be adult supervision. Wade asked that her married name not be used in order to protect her son's identity.
She said Boysen told her she'd be there and, although the cabin didn't have a phone line, Boysen would be reachable by cell phone.
"I did my job as a parent, but I made some assumptions that turned out to be wrong," Wade said, adding that she and the parents of the other youths were shocked by the events.
"Most of them didn't know what to do about it, how to proceed," Wade said. "Foremost in everyone's mind was an effort to protect the children."
Wade learned about what happened at the party about a month later from her son, she said. She then filed a report with Child Protective Services, who contacted the Mason County Sheriff's Department.
"I decided to speak out because I felt we have to behave like a community and protect all of our kids," she said.
At the same time, Wade said she didn't think Boysen should have to serve time in jail.
"I gave her enough credit that I thought she had really, really bad judgment, but I was really surprised she got the sentence she did," Wade said.
Burleson said he wanted to see Boysen do time in jail, but didn't think sending her to state prison was necessary.
"She's not a sexual predator," he said. Boysen had no previous criminal record.
The investigation took a while as did the negotiations between the Prosecutor's Office and Boysen's attorney to arrange for the plea agreement. When all had been arranged, she was then charged, convicted and sent to jail on the same day.
Burleson said he plans to file a misdemeanor charge against Ken Boysen, who apparently took part in providing alcohol to the boys. King, Boysen's attorney, said Ken Boysen plans to plead guilty to those charges.
The stripper, who told officials she was concerned because the boys were minors, could also face charges. It's unlikely that the boys themselves will, however, Burleson said.
"I wanted to deal with the major perpetrator in the matter," he said. "I view the boys more as victims."
Alma D. Sharpe covers education for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-4226 or asharpe@olympia. gannett.com.
Hey, you have to set limits. Tough love, you know!
Yeah, she sure did contribute a lot--strippers, alcohol, how to roll a joint. Way to go, lady!
Is it too late to change the name to "Party Time Association"?
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