UPDATE: Milford Students Suspended For Alcohol Use
As many as a dozen students were suspended from Milford Middle School Monday after a student brought alcohol on the school bus.
Wawasee Superintendent Dr. Thomas Edington says the number of students involved in an incident involving alcohol was “an attention getter” and the matter is being dealt with both at the school and with law enforcement.
According to the mother of a 14-year-old boy who was among those suspended, 12 students – all seventh- and eighth-graders – were given a 5 day suspension for sampling vodka that another student brought on the school bus in a water bottle. Dr. Edington says he did not know the exact number of students disciplined, but said it was in the double digits.
The mother, who asked that her name not be used, said the male student who brought the alcohol was trying to get other students to taste the contents of the water bottle. “One of the boys tried it and made a face so the others then wanted to know what it was,” she tells. She says none of the students told any teachers or staff members until another student was given the water bottle after a gym class not knowing it contained alcohol.
While the woman agrees with punishing the students, she says the 5 day suspension is too much: “Some of these kids are already behind academically. You don’t give a middle-schooler 5 days off of school because they’ll just think they should get in trouble again for some time off. Give them detention, make them clean the parking lot or whatever, but don’t keep them out of school. I don’t believe giving them a 5 day suspension sets a good example.”
Dr. Edington says the length of the suspension has not yet been determined. “The only real suspension is today,” he explains.
School personnel discussed the incident today and, while they are still investigating, the 11 to 12 students involved will be returning to school Wednesday. Dr. Edington adds that community service has not been ruled out as a disciplinary action, nor has further suspension. However, upon any additional suspension the students will be sent to the Alternative to Suspension and Expulsion program.
The ASE program is housed at Wawasee Middle School and “is still school operated by a licensed teacher,” says Dr. Edington. In the event the ASE program is required, the superintendent says that because 11 to 12 students were involved, they would rotate in and out of the program so that not all of the students are attending on the same days.
Exactly what happened in yesterday’s incident is still being investigated. Dr. Edington explains, “There is a differentiation of what occurs between the ‘instigator’ and the others involved.” That is why he says the matter was turned over to school resource officer Dalis Owens of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.