A new set of rules must be followed by students in the Selinsgrove Area School District. School board members voted to put a new code of conduct in place for students who participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.
"It establishes a uniform set of regulations and consequences for students who want to represent the school district outside of the school day," said Superintendent Chad Cohrs.
Last September, some members of the high school football and soccer teams were cited for disorderly conduct after police say they were at an underage drinking party. At the time, the school district's code of conduct required the athletes to be suspended for 10 days. The football coach also kicked eight players off the team.
Last year students on Selinsgrove's football team faced a harsher punishment than students on the school's soccer team. For the same offense. Under this new code of conduct, students will face the same punishment for the same offense.
"That was one of the things we heard from parents and coaches and club advisers. It should be consistent across the board," said Cohrs.
The new code of conduct calls for students involved in criminal activity, vandalism, drugs or alcohol to get a 60 day suspension from their extracurricular activity.
"The sports should be treated equally and even the other extracurricular activities the kids are involved in," said Theresa Oreskovich, a parent.
"Two months is a little bit severe in my book. I don't think they should be doing that. One month is good enough, even a few weeks, depending on the severity of it. Two months is extreme," said parent Roger Hilbert.
The Selinsgrove Area School District's superintendent said he hopes the new policy makes students have second thoughts when it comes to making a decision that might not be in their best interests. The new code of conduct policy goes into effect immediately in Selinsgrove.