Revere students punished for drinking incident

REVERE – School Superintendent Paul Dakin said 28 high school students, most of them seniors, are banned from senior functions, including the barbecue, as punishment for attending a drinking party in Maine last Friday.York County sheriff’s deputies broke up the party in Acton, Maine and school officials, with the help of York deputies, identified 28 of the 41 youth attending the party as Revere High students. In addition to banning the students from activities, including sporting events, for the remainder of the year, the 28 will be required to attend alcohol awareness counseling after school or on the weekend.Dakin said seniors who attended the party will be allowed to graduate and accept their diplomas on June 10.”They are allowed to walk across the stage but I will tell you, we were discussing going a step further,” Dakin said, adding, “It’s frightening what could have happened.”Dakin reviewed action against the drinking party attendees Tuesday with School Committee members and discussed follow up action taken since last Wednesday when health officials identified a case of H1N1 flu at Garfield Middle School.Although the confirmed H1N1 diagnosis is limited to the middle school student, 120 students with fevers or flu-like symptoms are staying out of school for the seven-day period mandated by state public health officials.He said the requirement has aggravated parents of some of the students.”I’ve had parents in my office arguing, ‘My kid is better, let him come back.'”Dakin said the schools are also following public health recommendations on restricting H1N1’s spread by limiting large gatherings. May 27 and 28 high school academic awards ceremonies have been cancelled along with today’s city-wide middle school “aspirers” ceremony. An informational track and field meeting is also cancelled.