Rushville, N.Y. — Twenty-five Marcus Whitman High School 9th, 10th and 11th graders are suspended from competing sports for some of their games after allegations that they drank illegally.
According to Superintendent Mike Chirco, most of the students are athletes on the football team or the girls and boys soccer team.
Chirco says someone told the school’s resources officer that a 9th grader hosted a party after this weekend’s homecoming dance. That’s when the school started investigating the allegations and interviewing students.
Athletic Director Gil Jackson says all athletes sign a code of conduct before they are allowed to participate in sports. Jackson says that code clearly states that athletes cannot be in environments where illegal drug use or illegal drinking are taking place.
Jackson says most of the students were first time offenders and therefore they will be suspended from 25-percent of their season's games. The football season is over so the football players involved will have so sit out games next season.
An upcoming pool football game was also canceled because too many players were injured and the others were suspended.
“They will be able to earn back the right to participate in athletics and compete,” says Chirco. "They will hopefully be back on the field next year playing for us and won't make the same mistake again.”
Meanwhile, the students who aren’t athletes will be temporarily suspended from their extracurricular activities.
All the students will have to attend meetings with the school’s drugs and alcohol counselor.
The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office is also investigating the allegations. They are still trying to determine who supplied the alcohol to the minors and whether any adults were involved. There are no charges at this time.
