No good deed goes unpunished

[Adam]

Police e-mail surfaces backing high school athlete suspended for aiding drunk friend

As the Massachusetts high school volleyball player suspended for coming to the aid of a boozed-up pal served out the final game of her punishment Friday, an e-mail penned by a police officer that appears to exonerate her has come to light.

North Andover High School’s Erin Cox was on the sidelines Wednesday for the Scarlet Knights’most recent outing against rival Tewksbury, ESPNBoston.com reports. The 17-year-old suspended for five games and stripped of her captaincy reportedly cheered on her teammates in a straight-set win.

Meanwhile, the North Andover Citizen newspaper reports it obtained an e-mail sent by Boxford Police Officer Brian Neeley to the North Andover Public School administration in the wake of the party that sparked the national brouhaha.

In the electronic note, Neeley reportedly writes: “I responded with several other officers to an under aged party 732 Main St., Boxford. Erin Cox was one of many people under the age of 21 at the residence. I had the opportunity to speak with and observe Erin Cox while waiting for her mother to arrive.

“Erin did not have the slightest odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person. She was polite, articulate, steady on her feet, and very remorseful for her decision to go into the residence but was only helping out a friend that had called her for a ride. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.”

Cox was suspended for five games after coming to the aid of the drunken friend, who had requested a ride home. Minutes after Cox arrived, Boxford police did, as well. Students were either arrested or cited for underage possession of alcohol.

North Andover Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Hutchinson has remained intransigent despite the officer’s e-mail.

Absolutely unreal.

Every single member of the school board and the entire administration of the school should be immediately fired with absolutely no severance or back pay whatsoever. This is just unconscionable.

[Gramps]

Absolutely unreal.

Every single member of the school board and the entire administration of the school should be immediately fired with absolutely no severance or back pay whatsoever. This is just unconscionable.

In most instances, the school board is an elected position.
The admin serves at the behest of the school board.
When I was teaching, a suspension and other actions were at the discretion of the Superintendent.
If someone thought that the action was incorrect, they could appear before the board and state their case.

This is a community action.

There is also the threat of a civil lawsuit against the school district.
Damages etc.

[phillygirl]

It's the slavish adherence to bureaucratic rules that causes this type of reaction. Rather than look at the spirit of these rules, one girl, that did the right thing, at the behest of another girl, who also, although late in the game, did the right thing, is being punished.

Honestly, though, at the end of the day, the driver probably should have told her parents of the issue. It seems like a huge deal to her and her parents right now, but I think my parents would have simply said learn the lesson and move on. They definitely wouldn't have made a federal case over it.

[Tom Servo]

Hey, at least she didn't have a butter knife with her at the time.

[Adam]

Well, time to eat some crow. Someone pass the pepper.


It turns out that in fact Ms. Cox was drinking at the party after all. She lied to the entire nation.