Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Student's Prom Dates Banned from Prom After Background Check Finds Pot Possession

The Boston Herald featured a story about Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School banning a student's 19-year-old boyfriend from Saturday's soiree after a criminal background check turned up a past marijuana possession charge.

The school started Criminal Offender Record Information checks this year for non-students going to the prom. Any date with a criminal past would be rejected, she said. A School Committee member last night said the school’s administrators - not the School Committee approved the policy.

The Massachusetts American Civil Liberties Union said the school’s actions are illegal. “The principal cannot go snooping in CORI records for people,” said Norma Shapiro, the ACLU’s legislative director. She said that state CORI laws permit digging into the criminal past of school volunteers with access to students. “Exactly how does that extend to the prom?” Shapiro said.
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Now the head of the state's Criminal History Systems Board, Barry J. La Croix, is investigating whether the school overstepped its authority. One prohibited use of the system is for snooping on potential dance partners. “If the (criminal) check was for the purposes that were reported then it is beyond the scope,” said Kelly Nantel, the systems board spokeswoman. “We’ll take appropriate actions.”

One students mother said, Kathy Eckert, a mother of one of the girls appealed to the principal Monday, but he is sticking by the ban, she said. “Let these girls go to the prom with their dates, (who are) nonviolent criminals,” Kathy said.

State Rep. Demetrius J. Atsalis, (D-Barnstable), also says the school went too far. “This is still the United States and everyone should be give an opportunity to participate,” he said.
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So I guess arressting these guys was not enough punishment for possession of the devil weed. Let's ruin their girlfriend's senior prom as well! With these kids out of the prom, its almost guaranteed that none of the students atDennis-Yarmouth Regional High School will be using marijuana or alcohol... right?

1 comment:

LEAP said...

First it was college financial aid, now its high school prom attendance. What's next, students with drug convictions won't be able to get a library card?