When the administration is given information about a student suspected of drinking or using drugs, they can further investigate the situation and potentially punish the accused student. However, the high school’s current athletic policy to address student drug and alcohol use needs to be adjusted.
Student-athletes shouldn’t be punished by the school for their behavior if it isn’t during their current sports season or if it occurs off campus. The policy is unfair because it punishes students regardless of whether the offense is committed in season or not. For example, if a photo of a student with alcohol is taken on the Fourth of July, they could be punished during their winter basketball season. Depending on the circumstances, a student caught before or during the season would be subjected to possible suspension for a quarter of the season.
The policy doesn’t so much discourage drinking as it makes student-athletes more concerned about getting caught. Athletes will continue to participate in drinking alcohol or doing drugs, but in a more secretive manner.
Even if a student is caught, the district should allow students to make mistakes without getting severely punished. The current penalty causes an individual’s decision to impact the entire team. Instead, it should focus on supporting the individual rather than isolating them from their team.
An athlete shouldn’t be punished for an off-campus violation. Although consuming alcohol and tobacco under the age of 21 is illegal, the resulting discipline should be left up to either the law or the student’s parents; they should be able to decide a fitting punishment rather than the district.
Even though participating in sports is a privilege, the school shouldn’t be able to revoke that opportunity. Some may argue participating in drug or alcohol use will impact the entire team or the image of the school. However, if the offense occurs during the offseason, it wouldn’t affect the team dynamic, practice or playing level.
Also, the image of the school is impacted just as much as students who participate in other extracurricular activities such as clubs like Model UN or In-The-Know who collaborate or compete against other schools as well. Even though the policy states they are held to the same standard, they are not required to sign a legal document stating they will not participate in alcohol or drug use.
Additionally, the current bullying and harassment policy can punish students for their off-campus actions under certain circumstances, but it doesn’t make sense in the case of alcohol and drug usage; when a student chooses to participate in illegal behavior, it will solely impact them.
Since bullying and harassment directly involves harming another student, it would make sense for the district to step in those circumstances, but not in the case of off-campus alcohol or drug use.
Overall, the administration should adjust its current policy for student-athletes who have been caught using drugs or alcohol because it allows students to be punished even if it takes place off-campus and out of the season. The administration should cut its ties with the policy entirely, leaving decisions about punishment to parents and law enforcement.