Twelve Oxford High School seniors and two juniors were denied entrance to prom, held May 9 in Troy at the San Marino Club, after Preliminary Breath Tests (PBT) indiciated the presence of alcohol in their systems.
‘This is the most (students) I’ve had (to turn away) at any one event. I believe in part because we introduced a certified person giving a certified PBT,? said Oxford High School Principal Todd Dunckley. ‘I will say without that breathalyzer, more than half (of the students involved), we would not (have turned away). We talked with them and there was no odor, they looked the same. But their amount was a lot less than some of their peers.?
As is protocol, local police were called, along with the parents of the students to come pick them up.
‘Any time we have substance use or possession we always contact the police,? said Dunckley. ‘Unfortunately, an ambulance was called to take one of the young adults away.?
While he didn’t know what the student’s blood level was, Duckley noted ‘it was high enough to affect his well-being.?
According to a Troy Police Department report, at least one student blew a PBT level of .224 and was issued a Minor in Possession (MIP) citation to appear in court.
Of the 14 students, five of them were current-season athletes ? four baseball players and one boys? lacrosse player.
Disciplinary action
As is school policy, the two juniors were given a 10-day suspension, however, if they enroll in counseling for ‘destructive decision making,? and it’s verified, their suspension will be lowered to five days. Because it’s the end of the year for seniors and there wasn’t five days left of school for them, the 12 seniors were sentenced to five days of community service, which equals 35 hours.
‘Community Service is pretty effective,? Dunckley said. ‘Especially for a senior having to get up at 8 a.m. and having to come and do work all day long . . . and think they’ve earned the privilege not to be here (at the school). That is much harder and much more difficult then just being suspended from class.?
For the athletes, they not only have to serve suspension or community service time, but they also have to miss one-third of the rest of their season.
Dunckley noted that no student would be allowed to participate in either a sport (if an athlete) or commencement (if they’re a senior) if they did not fulfill their suspension or community service requirements.
‘They have to get equal the five days in prior to being able to be on (the) ground(s) in that event,? he said.
Hopeful deterrent
This was the first year Oxford conducted PBTs at an event, Duckley said.
‘To prohibit kids (from drinking), a lot of schools have done it and other schools besides us still do it. We felt we needed it to do exactly what we did,? Dunckley added. ‘There are too many kids who are drinking and we don’t want bad things to happen. We don’t want them out there driving and hurting themselves or others. Drinking is just not something we promote.?
When some of students were asked ‘what they were thinking?? the response was ‘we didn’t think we’d get caught.?
‘That’s always the case,? Dunckley said. ‘No one ever thinks they’ll get caught.?
Successful event
Other than the 14 students who got in trouble, Dunckley said the event was ‘tremendous and did not affect the prom for the other kids.?
‘The kids who were involved (in the drinking incident) we kept those students very separate and isolated so we could deal with that discipline on the side,? he said.
Superintendent Dr. William Skilling applauded the work of high school staff.
‘Our high school administration and security guard did their due diligence in keeping the prom free of alcohol and possible drug use,? he said.