Flowers? Check.
Dress and tux? Check.
Dinner reservations? Check.
Breathalyzer? Check.
Homecoming is a highlight for many high school students, but it is also one of the most dangerous nights of the year for teens as underage drinking and alcohol-related crashes involving minors tend to increase around the event.
A New Trend
In an effort to make homecoming safe and sober, schools around the country are requiring students to pass an alcohol breath test in order to enter the dance. School officials believe that making students prove their sobriety ensures an alcohol-free space and gives students a ready excuse for turning down alcohol before they arrive.
In districts where the tests have been implemented, parents are largely supportive. And students agree that the breathalyzers have cut down on underage drinking during events. Mountain Vista High School in Colorado—which has tested students during homecoming since 2010—reports that no students have failed the tests in the past three years.
Alcohol Testing a Regular Part of High School?
The trend of breath testing students started several years ago and appears to be picking up speed. In fact, a number of schools have gone beyond events like homecoming and prom and include participation in sports and after school extracurricular activities, as well.
How schools deal with students who do blow positive for alcohol varies. Some provide counseling and intervention, while others impose sanctions like suspension. A few schools turn students over to law enforcement for underage drinking.
What do you think of schools that breath test students for alcohol to get into homecoming? How should schools handle students who are caught drinking?
