St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to give breath-analysis tests to students at football games; refusal brings suspension

[Go Skins]

http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/st-vincent-st-mary-high-school-to-give-breath-analysis-tests-to-students-at-football-games-refusal-brings-suspension-1.624636

St. Vincent-St. Mary High School is forcing students to line up at football games and blow into a Breathalyzer machine before they’re permitted to enter.

And like the one-year license revocation suspected drunken drivers might face, students who refuse the test will receive a mandatory suspension.

St. Vincent-St. Mary implemented the new testing policy this football season, even though officials say there’s been no evidence of alcohol use at the private Catholic school in Akron.

The school has been testing students at dances for three years.

St. V-M students now are required to enter football games through a designated gate, where they are randomly pulled aside for testing.

Judi Guertal echoed the general consensus of parents while waiting outside the high school to pick up her granddaughter Wednesday afternoon.

“I don’t have a problem with it,” she said of the new policy for testing student fans at games. “But the 10-day suspension is a bit much.”

The policy appears to have the support of parents and students.

Tom Carone, president of St. V-M, said only four of 705 families served by the private school have objected since about 15 percent of students attending last week’s football game were taken into a building and privately tested by a trained staff member.

Some students even agree with the automatic “admission of guilt” rule for refusals.