DESERT
FOOTHILLS – Both Cactus Shadows High School and the
Deer Valley Unified School District this fall adopted
new a disciplinary code of conduct for their high school
athletes to ensure discipline is evenly applied across
sports.
“We’re
trying to make them better people. It may not seem that
way to them, but that’s what we’re trying to do,” said
Bill Gahn, DVUSD athletic director. “We’re trying to
make them understand there are consequences to their
actions, so they can make good decisions.”
“This
is a minimum way to bring some consistency to some very
big issues,” said Monica Barrett, athletic director
at Cactus Shadows High School. CSHS is the only high
school in the Cave Creek school district.
“We
had one young lady who had one sip of alcohol in her
system and she got two weeks’ suspension,” Barrett said
at the recent Cave Creek Unified School District board
meeting.
In
another recent incident, a football player found guilty
of both theft and alcohol infractions only received
a one‑week suspension, she said.
“We
found an area of consistency that all of us could agree
on. It is a learning experience,” Gahn said, regarding
the recently adopted codes.
Both
school districts’ new disciplinary codes of conduct
for young athletes, though they vary, address a range
of infractions– from alcohol and drug use to bad behavior
such as fighting.
CSHS
principal Sid Bailey said the new code of conduct is
a work in progress, but it is being used by staff.
At
the CCUSD meeting on Sept. 19, one unidentified parent
said he thought the code was too lenient. He called
for zero‑tolerance for serious infractions such
as drugs and alcohol.
Barrett
told those attending the meeting, “We are not their
parents. We don’t want to be their parents. We want
to be supporters of parents.”
Reach
the reporter at kathleen@thedesertadvocate.com.
The
Deer Valley Unified School District code:
·
First offense: Suspension from the sport for 20 percent
of the season.
·
Second offense: Suspension from 40 percent of the season.
·
Third offense: One year suspension.
The
Cave Creek Unified School District code:
·
First offense: Suspension for 40 percent of the season.
·
Second offense: Suspension for the remainder of high
school with the possibility of reinstatement.
·
Third offense: Suspension for the remainder of high
school with no possibility for reinstatement.
Both
districts provide a hearing and appeals process for
all offenses.
