# School Officials Punish Student For Driving Drunk Friend Home **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 15, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309 "2013-10-15T14:52:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/161 "2013-10-22T19:04:03Z")
If the cite is to be believed… [Remember the Girl From North Andover Who Made National Headlines When She Got Suspended From Her Volleyball Team For Being A Designated Driver? Well It Appears She Lied And Made The Entire Thing Up](http://boston.barstoolsports.com/around-barstool/remember-the-girl-from-north-andover-who-made-national-headlines-when-she-got-suspended-from-her-volleyball-team-for-being-a-designated-driver-well-it-appears-she-lied-and-made-the-entire-thing-up/) ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/162 "2013-10-22T19:16:41Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > If the cite is to be believed… > > [Remember the Girl From North Andover Who Made National Headlines When She Got Suspended From Her Volleyball Team For Being A Designated Driver? Well It Appears She Lied And Made The Entire Thing Up](http://boston.barstoolsports.com/around-barstool/remember-the-girl-from-north-andover-who-made-national-headlines-when-she-got-suspended-from-her-volleyball-team-for-being-a-designated-driver-well-it-appears-she-lied-and-made-the-entire-thing-up/) Your link has the (partial) text of the original story from the Valley Patriot, but that source has apparently changed its text, [now saying](http://valleypatriot.com/breaking-erin-cox-in-lawrence-district-court-for-possession-of-alcohol-family-giving-donations-back/): > [@](#): > > The Valley Patriot published a story this morning citing Law enforcement sources in North Andover who claimed High School student Erin Cox was to appear in court on charges of possession of alcohol. > > The Valley Patriot has since learned that this information was false. They’re sticking to their guns about the whole “people are calling her a liar on facebook” part of the story, but the rhetoric has been toned down. So the story is still inconclusive, but your link does point out that the whole “She wasn’t drinking and was only there to pick up a friend” thing had been corroborated and repeated by the police, so… it ain’t like we were (are?) taking the word of a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/163 "2013-10-22T19:20:28Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > This is bringing semantic nitpicking to a whole new level. No more so that stopping briefly to pick up a friend= “at /attending a party with alcohol”. No one considers a person dropping by to pick up or drop off to be “at” or “attending” a party. But you are parsing “at” to mean exactly that. One semantic nitpick deserves another. But at least in my case, the base truth is on our side. She wasn’t partying. She was doing a good turn, and this is what we WANT our kids to do. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/164 "2013-10-22T19:39:49Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > If the cite is to be believed… > > [Remember the Girl From North Andover Who Made National Headlines When She Got Suspended From Her Volleyball Team For Being A Designated Driver? Well It Appears She Lied And Made The Entire Thing Up](http://boston.barstoolsports.com/around-barstool/remember-the-girl-from-north-andover-who-made-national-headlines-when-she-got-suspended-from-her-volleyball-team-for-being-a-designated-driver-well-it-appears-she-lied-and-made-the-entire-thing-up/) Wow. Too funny. She might have made the whole thing up? Consider me not surprised. FYI, the author of that is Tom Duggan, aka The Valley Patriot is a local libertarian leaning news guy who reports on local issues in the Merrimack Valley. He always seems to know what the cops and firefighters are up to and his twitter feed usually has the latest news about local issues in the area where North Andover is located. I’m not surprised to see him digging into this. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/165 "2013-10-22T19:47:16Z")
Also, to give credit where credit is due: People have been donating money to the Cox family, through someone who set a fund up online without the involvement of the family. They have turned it down and said anyone who wants to donate should just give their money to MADD. They aren’t accepting any donations. Classy move, that. At least we know they aren’t doing this to cash in. But hey, they’re from North Andover, so I don’t think they are hurting for cash. > [@](#): > > The Cox family has been offered money and other support from people around the country. We have growing concerns that people may be using this case to exploit concerned citizens by asking them to donate money to the Cox family. We have been asking people responsible for such funds to stop using the Cox family inappropriately, and if people want to donate money, please donate to MADD or a charity of their choice that deals with issues related to drunk driving. We have requested no money, received no money, and want no money. The lawsuit planned against the school district, and those who lied, will be filed, as with most cases like this one, based on a contingency fee relationship between the Cox family and their attorney, which means they are not in need of any legal defense funds. > > Wendy Murphy > > Attorney for the Cox family [Valley Patriot](http://valleypatriot.com/erin-cox-family-attorney-wendy-murphy-denies-claims/) ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/166 "2013-10-22T19:55:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No more so that stopping briefly to pick up a friend= “at /attending a party with alcohol”. > > No one considers a person dropping by to pick up or drop off to be “at” or “attending” a party. But you are parsing “at” to mean exactly that. One semantic nitpick deserves another. But at least in my case, the base truth is on our side. She wasn’t partying. She was doing a good turn, and this is what we WANT our kids to do. So you’re only “at” where you are “at” if you are there for certain reasons, or a certain amount of time? So she wasn’t “at” the party despite, you know, actually being there? Where was she at? I guess I’m old school. You’re at where you’re at, and that’s that. I’ll ask you the same question as **Really Not All That Bright** : How long must you be somewhere to be there? Ten minutes? More? How are the cops supposed to figure out this metaphysical pseudo intellectual babble? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/167 "2013-10-22T20:14:59Z")
You’re **AT** a Party if you are attending the party, guest, crasher, etc. “A Party” is more than just a place, it is a state of being/mind. If there is a Party at the White House and your job is to clean up the party after, and you arrive in the last five minutes, you can’t really say “Hey I attended a party last nite at the White House with the President!”:rolleyes: “A Party” is not a _place_, it’s a ‘thing”. “The party moved out of the house, down the street and into the pool area…”- how does a _place_ move? So, no, she wasn’t AT “the party” as she wasn’t partying, she was working. She _was at the house where the party was_, but she wasn’t \*at the party. \* No more than the cleaner at the White house was. And you know this full well. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/168 "2013-10-22T20:43:03Z")
Officer Buzzkill: _knock, knock_ It’s the police! Everyone come out and keep your hands where I can see them! This party is busted up. Those of you obviously drunk are going to jail. Everyone else is going to get a summons to court and your parents can come pick you up. Erin Cox: Officer? Officer Buzzkill: Yes, miss? Erin Cox: You can’t give me a summons. You see, I’m not actually here. Officer Buzzkill: You aren’t? :dubious: Erin Cox: Yes. A party is a state of being. A state of mind. It’s not a place. I’m in another place right now, mentally. Officer Buzzkill: You are? :dubious: Erin Cox: Yes. You see, there’s this message board on the internet called the Straight Dope. They talked about this for, like, at least six pages. The consensus was that I’m not here. Officer Buzzkill: _unholsters taser_ Erin Cox: You can just ask **DrDeth**. You see, he’s like, really smart and stuff and… Officer Buzzkill: _ **BZZZZZZSZZZZZZSSST** _ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/169 "2013-10-22T20:53:13Z")
So when I worked security for that party of Hollywood celebrities I was actually “at’ the party, then? Wow, great. And the police who raided that party- by your definition they were AT a party while on taxpayer payroll? That’s against quite a few codes of conduct. So Officer Buzzkill? Time to slap those cuffs on yourself and kiss goodbye to that badge! ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/170 "2013-10-22T20:59:52Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And the police who raided that party- by your definition they were AT a party while on taxpayer payroll? That’s against quite a few codes of conduct. Contributing to the delinquency of a minor, that’s how I see it. Attending a party where children are drinking… shameful. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/171 "2013-10-22T21:09:59Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Contributing to the delinquency of a minor, that’s how I see it. Attending a party where children are drinking… shameful. And I’ll bet they were even openly wearing loaded firearms while around kids and while alcohol was being served. I’ll bet some of them even drove their official vehicles to this party. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/172 "2013-10-23T14:06:41Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Has there ever been an incident where kids got in trouble for hanging around adults who were drinking? If so, provide a cite and we can discuss it. I’d probably join you in your outrage if that was the case. > > However, that’s not what happened here. This was a bunch of kids having a party with alcohol. That’s not in dispute, is it? > > I think the cops can tell the difference between a neighborhood cookout where the adults are having a few beers and there are HS kids present and a bunch of kids having a house party while their parents are away. We can and do treat these things differently. I’m not outraged, just bemused. Didn’t the kid test 0 on the breath test? ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/173 "2013-10-23T14:12:53Z")
Ooops - **Kayaker** ’s daughter tested 0, not the kid in question, sorry. Also my boss stole my pen. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/174 "2013-11-21T21:04:42Z")
Update: It turns out the girl [was lying about the whole thing.](http://valleypatriot.com/erin-cox-owes-north-andover-an-apology-valley-patriot-editorial-nov-2013/) She was at the party for over an hour. She was drinking. She has finally [admitted it.](http://valleypatriot.com/erin-cox-confesses-to-drinking-at-underage-party-that-gained-national-attention-the-history-of-a-bogus-media-story-that-never-happened/) > [@](#): > > “I am 17 years old. On September 28, 2013. I was at the party in Boxford, MA. I was there for about an hour before police arrived. While I was there I was in possession of alcohol and consumed alcohol, even though I was underage. There were numerous underage people there as well. I am admitting to this offense and wish to enter into a diversion program.” ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309/175 "2013-11-21T21:10:37Z")
That’ll teach us to take the word of one Officer Brian Neeley. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/school-officials-punish-student-for-driving-drunk-friend-home/671309.md?page=8)