THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120328
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
The future of 11 Manteo High School football players, at least for this season, hung in the balance at press time, as the Dare County Board of Education deliberated after an appeal hearing that lasted more than three hours.
The school board was still behind closed doors shortly before 10 p.m., trying to determine whether or not a district-imposed suspension would be upheld.
The 11 were suspended for an alleged violation of the system's policy concerning drug and alcohol abuse. The players, it is alleged, were involved in an incident involving alcohol following the team's Sept. 29 game at Asheville. The athletes were suspended before last week's win over Roanoke Rapids.
The hearing, as well as the deliberations, were held behind closed doors. Under the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, parents had the right to decide if the hearing would be open to the media. All parents asked the hearings be closed.
Meanwhile, the Asheville incident was the focal point of Tuesday night's meeting of the Dare County Board of Education. A number of parents presented letters to the board in support of the 11 student-athletes who were suspended. Others spoke during the public comment period, asking the board to consider each case on an individual basis.
Retta Wright urged the board to consider a review of its substance abuse policy. Adopted in 1989, the policy suspends violators for 10 class days, and prohibits participation in extra-curricular activities for 18 weeks. If the student undergoes counseling, the penalty is reduced to five days and a nine-week ban on extracurricular activity.
Wright said the policy needs to be reviewed because it was drafted before the school district adopted its new concentrated curriculum. She also said that those supervising the athletes should be held responsible.
``I would ask, if we are going to judge our players, where is our policy to judge our teachers, coaches and other chaperones. I don't know how we can say they were `semi-supervised.' And if there is a committee, as far as this policy, who's on this committee . . . Parents and students have a right to know this.''
Jerry Noone said the district's substance abuse policy addresses drug and alcohol possession in connection with an arrest. No arrests occurred in connection with the incident.
``I've seen young men judged by other students, parents and the press,'' he said. ``I've never come in contact with so many perfect people who have never made an error in judgment or a mistake.''
He added, ``The coaches, God bless 'em, love these boys, and the boys love them. I hope you make the proper call. This rule is black and white. This incident is gray.''
The Rev. Bruce Warrington of the Manteo Baptist Church also urged the board to be fair in itsdeliberation. Warrington said one of the suspended players told him that a teammate had spiked a container of sports beverage. That athlete went to Basnight, Warrington said, and confessed that he had been drinking. That honesty, Warrington said, should be rewarded.
``Handle this according to due process, justice and fairness,'' Warrington said. ``Let this be a turning point for good.''
But Molly Harris, a mother of three and the chairwoman of the Dare County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, cited statistics concerning teen alcohol abuse.
``We as members of MADD, and me as a parent, urge you to make sure that the right message is sent to our youth,'' Harris said.
Manteo High School entertains Currituck County in a key Northeastern Conference game Friday night. by CNB