A high school student is being punished for what many would consider “doing the right thing”. Senior, Erin Cox, is facing severe consequences for simply driving home an intoxicated friend from a party two weeks ago in Massachusetts. Allegedly this violates the school’s strict zero tolerance policy for use of alcohol or drugs inside or outside of school grounds.
The Cox family filed a lawsuit against North Andover High school located in North Andover, Massachusetts, after school officials demoted Erin from being captain of the school volleyball team and suspended from playing in the next five games. “She is very fragile and I’m worried about her. She did not do anything wrong,” Erin’s mother, Eleanor Cox told WBZ-TV on Sunday.
According to CBS Boston, Erin is being punished for playing the heroic role of a designated driver after receiving a phone call from her friend who was drunk and needed a ride home. When she arrived to her house, police busted Erin and several friends for under age possession of alcohol, however, it was proven that Erin was not drinking.
In Erin’s defense, the family’s attorney, Wendy Murphy told reporters “If a kid asks for help from a friend, you don’t want that kid to say ‘I’m sorry I can’t help you. I might end up in trouble at school.’” Murphy is working to re-invoke Erin’s privileges at school by reversing the school’s decision. The parent’s of the school volleyball teammates organized a petition to support her as well.