School Administers Breathalyzer to Student
Updated: April 18, 2011
CHAMPAIGN - A Centennial High School student said she was accused of drinking in school on Wednesday and said the school was wrong.
Sharon Ford is a 17-year-old senior at the school and said it all started when she was talking in class.
"I was playing around with a couple of friends, we were laughing back and forth," explained Ford. "The teacher was doing a presentation, so he was getting kind of crazy about it."
It was the last class of the day and students were getting ready to take a test. Ford said the teacher told her and the other students to get quiet and if they didn't they would have to go to the front office.
The 17-year-old said thought it was a warning, so was surprised when she had to go to the front office.
"He was like,'yeah we got a call to the office saying you were drunk and intoxicated,' explained Ford. "I was like, 'drunk, intoxicated, I don't drink."
Ford said the school gave her a visual test, but her eye jumped so they moved to the next test.
"They wanted to do further testing, but didn't go into detail what further testing meant," explained Simone Ford, Sharon's mother.
The senior was given a breathalyzer and Champaign Police say they were called to bring one to Centennial. Ford said the school told her she would be suspended for ten days if she didn't do it. She said she didn't argue and consented to doing it. Police say they can't force anyone to take it.
"I blew a zero, zero, zero," explained Ford. Her mother was upset because she was called about what happened, but said she should have been there to witness what happened.
"After it was over they told her okay, you can go home, never apologized or anything," said Simone.
WCIA called Centennial High School, but didn't hear back. Unit Four Schools says the way they handle situations are through their Student Code of Conduct.
According to the document it says, "The appropriate building administrator will begin an immediate, thorough investigation of the alleged violation. Evidence used to substantiate a violation will be provided by school staff, contracted employees, and law enforcement officials who were present on site. Students may be interviewed in an investigation, but will not be required."
Sharon Ford is a 17-year-old senior at the school and said it all started when she was talking in class.
"I was playing around with a couple of friends, we were laughing back and forth," explained Ford. "The teacher was doing a presentation, so he was getting kind of crazy about it."
It was the last class of the day and students were getting ready to take a test. Ford said the teacher told her and the other students to get quiet and if they didn't they would have to go to the front office.
The 17-year-old said thought it was a warning, so was surprised when she had to go to the front office.
"He was like,'yeah we got a call to the office saying you were drunk and intoxicated,' explained Ford. "I was like, 'drunk, intoxicated, I don't drink."
Ford said the school gave her a visual test, but her eye jumped so they moved to the next test.
"They wanted to do further testing, but didn't go into detail what further testing meant," explained Simone Ford, Sharon's mother.
The senior was given a breathalyzer and Champaign Police say they were called to bring one to Centennial. Ford said the school told her she would be suspended for ten days if she didn't do it. She said she didn't argue and consented to doing it. Police say they can't force anyone to take it.
"I blew a zero, zero, zero," explained Ford. Her mother was upset because she was called about what happened, but said she should have been there to witness what happened.
"After it was over they told her okay, you can go home, never apologized or anything," said Simone.
WCIA called Centennial High School, but didn't hear back. Unit Four Schools says the way they handle situations are through their Student Code of Conduct.
According to the document it says, "The appropriate building administrator will begin an immediate, thorough investigation of the alleged violation. Evidence used to substantiate a violation will be provided by school staff, contracted employees, and law enforcement officials who were present on site. Students may be interviewed in an investigation, but will not be required."
