Several local high school students arrested and charged with underage drinking could face disciplinary actions at their respective schools, officials said Monday.
A 911 hang-up call from a private residence on Signal Mountain led police Saturday to a party where officers arrested 11 local students and charged them with underage drinking.
Officers were dispatched to 163 Woodcliff Circle shortly after midnight and found 14 people, most of whom were 18, drinking inside the home, Signal Mountain Police Chief Boyd Veal said.
To his knowledge, Chief Veal said ,no one 21 or older was present.
Four individuals have been identified as Baylor School students, five as Girls Preparatory School students and two as McCallie students, according to those schools’ student directories. It is unclear where the other students attend school.
The home at 163 Woodcliff Circle belongs to Thomas and Elizabeth Dixon, according to the Chattanooga city directory. Reached by phone Monday morning, Mrs. Dixon said she did not know anything about the incident.
McCallie officials said they were unaware of the arrests Monday morning.
“It’s really difficult for us to find out about these things,” said Billy Faires, director of communications. “When we do find out, we want to pursue it.”
He said McCallie does not have a zero-tolerance policy with respect to drinking and substance abuse. Most first offenses do not result in expulsion, he said. Students who are caught drinking underage go before the school’s disciplinary committee, which reviews the situation and determines the punishment, usually an in-school suspension, Mr. Faires said.
“We do think boys, teenagers, make poor decisions,” he said. “And we believe it’s our responsibility as an educational institution to give them the chance, the opportunity, to learn from their mistakes rather than have their lives pretty seriously affected due to one seriously possible error.”
A second offense usually results in expulsion, he said.
At Baylor, administrators will investigate the facts from Saturday’s party before reprimanding students, said Barbara Kennedy, director of communications. After reviewing the incident, administrators will determine the appropriate punishment, which could result in dismissal depending on how many offenses each student has, she said.
Ms. Kennedy said students also may be required to complete an intervention program.
“This is a matter we take very seriously,” she said.
GPS Associate Head Rickie Pierce said she could not comment specifically on this weekend’s incident, but she said students caught drinking underage follow a 10-step disciplinary policy.
“GPS will not tolerate the use or possession of, we term it, illegal mood-altering substances,” Ms. Pierce said.
UNDERAGE DRINKING POLICIES
* Baylor School explicitly forbids the “possession, purchase, distribution or use of alcoholic beverages.” Students caught drinking underage off campus can be dismissed from school. However, if dismissal does not occur, students can “expect serious penalties including suspension, final warning(s), extended disciplinary restriction or any combination of those penalties.”
* McCallie School does not have a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol abuse. While first offenses can result in expulsion, most do not. Students caught drinking underage must go before the school’s disciplinary committee, which reviews the situation and determines the punishment, usually an in-school suspension.
* Girls Preparatory School has a 10-step disciplinary policy implemented for underage students caught drinking. The policy is uniform, and exceptions are not made for individual circumstances.
Source: Baylor School’s handbook, McCallie Director of Communications Billy Faires, GPS Associate Head Rickie Pierce
