Promgoers to be Tested for Alcohol
ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 7 (UPI) — Students attending proms in a Texas
school district will be administered tests for alcohol before they are
allowed admittance. The new policy was adopted Thursday night by the
Arlington school district to combat teen drinking.
Breathalyzer and other sobriety tests will be administered to students
as they show up for the proms. Students will also be given a litmus test
to detect any alcohol in their systems.
School Superintendent Lynn Hale said the tests are “simple and
nonintrusive” and will ensure that students can enjoy an alcohol-free
prom. Parents will be called to pickup any student whose alcohol level is
above zero. The student will also be placed in alternative education for
the remainder of the year.
Some students have spoken out against the new policy, saying it
violates their constitutional rights.
The district began developing a new drinking policy after a zero-
tolerance plan imposed by Hale was overturned in court. The action came
after a 16-year-old girl reported she was raped at an off-campus drinking
party attended by more than 75 students from an Arlington high school.
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Copyright 1997 by United Press International.
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Copyright 1997
