Norton Reacts to Sober Driver's Punishment

Earlier this week, Norton Patch took to its Facebook page to ask Norton residents what they thought about a decision made up the coast at North Andover High School.

A North Andover High volleyball captain was suspended from her team and stripped of her captainship after she traveled to a party to pick up her friend, who had been drinking. She was cleared of wrongdoing by police, but not by the school's administration.

Judging by Facebook reaction, it was clear how Norton residents would feel about this if it happened in their back yard.

Here are a few Facebook responses we got:

• Nick T Schleicher Complete garbage! School administrators need to start using a little more common sense. It's getting ridiculous! The police in the town, cleared her from any drinking and she had no possession of alcohol on her and/or in her vehicle. Simply being a SOBER ride and a GREAT FRIEND now gets you a 5 game suspension and you lose your captaincy. What kind of precedent is this setting? --Ignore your friends who need a sober ride- because you're the one who is going to get screwed! Stupid...
• Joe LaRochelle Well said.
• Lori Kimball Well put Nick! It's Bull!
• Lisa Downey Sheedy This may make teens think twice about helping out a friend in need that may other wise drive home drunk and possible kill themselves or others. Sad but true.
  I'd say give her a pat on the back for being a true friend and not letting her friend drive drunk!
• Karen Abramowicz Need to use common sense!! Punishing her for doing the right thing is just absurd!!
• MaryAnn Kenney Murphy Well said Nick!
• MaryAnn Dempsey That is absolutely ridiculous. We are trying to teach our children to do the right things and this is what you do to her. They should be ashamed of themselves. So now the big question, will she do it again if she receives a call like this again? I hope so.
• LikeRuth Boncorddo You just can't stop some people from always doing the right thing no matter what the consequences are. The family tried taking them to court, but for some reason they wouldn't take the case. They're trying harder to get it overturned.