Several Lewiston High School hockey players have been suspended by the school right after they won the Class A state championship earlier this month. Some of the boys were caught partying while drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana outside the home of a school district employee. If some of the suspended unidentified students were seniors, it could mean that they won't be able to graduate on time.
VIDEO: Lewiston wins 21st State Hockey Championship #mesports #mehockey pic.twitter.com/CV9gAkwg0d
— Sun Journal (@sunjournal) March 6, 2016
The Situation is "Very Disappointing"
The school's superintendent, Bill Webster said this week that the hockey athletes have been sanctioned. He adds that school officials investigated the incident and some of the boys that were involved were disciplined. Webster also pointed out that the private party did not occur in the house of the hockey team's head coach, Jamie Bellaue.
"We have fully investigated this incident, and discipline has been administered in accordance with policy," Webster told the Sun Journal. "While I cannot go into details, I do want to communicate that our investigation determined that the alcohol and marijuana use was outside the house, and not known by the employee when it was happening. This does not excuse that it took place."
Webster adds that the situation with the student hockey players was disappointing. The school will be continuing to look for policies that are applicable in the incident. Portland Press shares that the district employee in question was not named, but it is neither the head coach nor junior varsity coach Ben McDonough.
Seniors Suspended May Not Graduate?
The Press Herald reports that students caught violating the substance abuse policy will be suspended from playing hockey for 14 days in the spring sport season. Webster adds that hockey season has ended which means that seniors involved in the incident may not graduate as the suspension may continue next season.
However, it has been made clear that no one was suspended from the school. Furthermore, it is not known how many students were included and if there were seniors involved.
