The winter sports season is off to a bad start — and the fall season a bad finish — at Tahoma High School in Covington, Wash., where 45 student-athletes have been suspended from playing sports after attending Halloween parties where drugs and alcohol were present.
Police responding to a noise complaint discovered one of the parties. According to the King County sheriff's office, dozens of students were present, including many in school letter jackets. Those involved in the parties included 14 football players, four girls’ soccer players, two boys’ soccer players, two softball players, four wrestlers, seven baseball players and 12 cheerleaders.
According to a letter sent to parents, “Student-athletes who attended the parties will forfeit a portion of their athletic season, including any athlete whose team is currently involved in post-season play. The investigation to determine whether additional students attended the parties is continuing.”
Suspensions for those involved will range from one quarter to one half of the sports season, with those student-athletes not currently in season serving their suspension when the season begins.
"Our student-athletes are well aware of the Tahoma School District Athletic Code and the consequences of these poor choices,” said principal Terry Duty. “We hope this will be a lifelong lesson for our entire school, both those who choose to attend the parties and those who elect to do the right thing and not attend."
Officials are also investigating alleged threats made online against students who reported the parties to authorities. "School officials also are aware of negative comments on social media that name individuals or groups of students and blame them for reporting the parties to school authorities,” read the letter to parents. “School officials take all threats seriously and are investigating any threatening language directed at students or staff. Appropriate disciplinary actions have and will continue to be sanctioned.”
