Sometimes doing the right thing is apparently the wrong thing to do. Or as Oscar Wilde once said, “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Several media outlets have picked up on the story of young Erin Cox, who is now trending on the internet. She is a 17-year-old teenager who wanted to make sure that her friend got a safe, sober ride home. The story, first reported in the Boston Herald, goes like this.
North Andover HIgh School senior Erin Cox, Captain of the volleyball team and honor student, had just finished work a couple weeks ago. She was at a frozen yogurt shop when one of her friends called. The unnamed friend was at a party and had been drinking, she asked Erin to come and get her. Erin did. Of course, the police showed up within minutes of Erin’s arrival. Wrong place, wrong time. Erin was given a summons for underage drinking, even though she hadn’t had a single drop of alcohol.
Erin’s high school, like most high schools today, has a zero tolerance policy in concerns with alcohol. And even though the police officer who was at the scene of the party, confirmed in a written statement that Erin was perfectly sober, North Andover High School stripped Erin of her title as Captain of the volleyball team and suspended the teen for five games.
Ouch.
So the family decided to fight back. Erin’s mother Eleanor went to court last Friday to file a lawsuit in hopes that the school would lift its punishment. In an interview with ABC News, Ms. Cox said, “She did what she thought was right, and I’m proud of her for that.”
Unfortunately for Erin, the court ruled that they did not have any say over the matter. Family and friends of Erin have taken to Twitter and the media to voice their outrage. Here are some tweets from #IStandWithErinCox.
@NorthAndoverHS #IStandWithErinCox Zero Tolerance Polices don't work! A perfect example here. – 10 Year Police Vet & Fmr School Cmte Member.
— Todd Hammond (@ToddHammond8) October 15, 2013
#IStandWithErinCox you are to be commended for your actions. North Andover High…shame on you
— CHOPS (@CHOPS483) October 15, 2013
@JamieWinegarden: Rational people don't support school board lawyers and their zero tolerance policy BS! #IStandWithErinCox
— Jamie Winegarden (@JamieWinegarden) October 15, 2013
Apparently being a designated driver is just as bad as being a drunk driver in the state of Massachusetts. #IStandWithErinCox
— Sam McMullan (@smcmullan10) October 15, 2013
Thousands of angry citizens have signed a petition in support of Erin. If you want to help out, you can go to the site and sign the petition as well.
Tell us what you think in the comments section below. Was Erin just being a good friend and the school should take on a more “common sense” approach or does the school need to strictly adhere to their zero tolerance policy at all costs?
Image via bing