School Committee Approves Updated Underage Drinking Policy

After months of discussions, task force meetings, and public input, Braintree’s chemical health policy has gone through a clarification rather than an overhaul.

Approved by the school committee this week, the updated policy does not contain anything on constructive possession of alcohol, simply stating that if a student is in an environment with underage drinking, they need to leave or they are in violation of the policy, whether they drink or not.

If a student is caught around alcohol by police, their name will be added to a police report of the incident. School officials will then meet with the students and ask them to share any information they have about the incident before informing the student of the consequences for their actions.

The review of the policy came after multiple students received punishments for attending a house party last year that included alcohol and underage drinking. Some students that did not drink at the party and claimed that they were unaware of the presence of alcohol deemed the punishments to be unfair.

The punishments across school activities were also clarified. Any student in violation of the policy will be placed on social probation for three weeks in addition to any consequences for extracurricular activities. Per MIAA policy, an athlete would be suspended for 25 percent of their season and lose their captaincy while a member of National Honor Society or Student Government would face an ethics committee to determine if they should keep their position.

“We don’t want to take the activity permanently away from the student. If someone is the junior class secretary and they are removed permanently, they have nothing to do. They can’t participate in student government, whereas someone who may be captain may lose their captaincy, but they can still participate,” Housemaster and task force member Andrew Delery said.

During some public forums earlier this year, parents suggested a wingman policy which would not punish students attempting to pick up another person from a party but was shot down by the task force.

“You can’t send out your kids to pick up intoxicated kids. If your kids get into trouble they have to be comfortable with calling a parent. I don’t see any way you can put it in a school policy,” School Committee Chair David Ringius said.

Students will be educated on the updated and clarified policy when they return to school in September.