The Constitution Club

I hold out hope that there will be a year when I don’t have to read about public education administrators that make boneheaded decisions that clearly serve no educational purpose and instead actually hurt kids.  Alas, I suppose I’ll have to wait until next year. 

In Maryland, Walkersville High School girls softball coach Brad Young had a little June celebration at his home.  The pool party and cookout was attended by players and a few parents who brought beer.  Naturally, alcohol is prohibited at ANY school function and the simple misunderstanding led to a softball coach and his J.V. coach being dismissed from their coaching duties.  Oh, by the way, the coach didn’t even take a sip.

Young and team parents said none of the students at the party drank or had access to alcohol. The letter Young received from the school system does not allege that any students drank or had access to alcohol at the party. None of the adults at the party were intoxicated, the parents and coach said.

The simple truth of the matter is that zero tolerance policies are rules that are created and enforced by complete morons.  The intent of the alcohol ban, while noble, is designed to keep teachers and coaches from being intoxicated in the presence of their students and players.  And yet the rule has been twisted to prevent well-intentioned parents from celebrating a good season.  And why?  Because goody-goody administrators (who are not even puritanical and have no religious motivation) feel like they should montior the examples that other law abiding staff sets for the kids.  Nevermind the fact that the best example an adult can set is that it is okay to imbibe in an adult beverage responsibly and in moderation. 

Ultimately the policy and all such inane rules like it, serve only to punish the very people it intends to protect.  The young ladies on the team now have to find a replacement coach to attempt to guide them to another 2A western region title.

McNally described Young as a “great role model for those kids,” and “a mentor who gives 150 percent” for the students-athletes in his charge.

“It wasn’t an intentional violation,” NcNally said. “The punishment doesn’t fit the crime.”

McNally, along with Glade Valley Athletic Association softball coach Ken Sowers and Sarah Tuck, whose daughter Karson was named county player of the year, described Young as a coach who goes out of his way to assist student-athletes with college applications and scholarship opportunities.