I just got the following from former NFL Referee Jim Tunney. I hope those who read this will contemplate the importance of sports and commitments in today’s society.
“After further review… Several Melrose High School players’ faces currently portray their school colors – RED! Melrose High, located in a Boston, Mass. suburb, has now become known infamously nationwide with bad news/good news. The bad news is that 11 Melrose varsity athletes have been suspended from competing in their school’s athletic events for next season, (athletic competition for this school year has been completed). It seems that these young culprits were “caught” on Facebook at an off-campus event in possession of alcohol and/or tobacco.
Social media certainly has given new meaning to Melrose High’s nickname of “Red Raiders”. These 11 Red Raiders were seen “red” handed with their pictures on Facebook. Young people have engaged in these kinds of “forbiddens” clear back to my high school days. As a former high school coach and principal I have all-too-often dealt with these unfortunate incidents. In the past, however, the accusations were usually verbal involving a long process of he-said/she-said denials. With their pictures now on Facebook, these offenses are difficult to defend.
For the “good news”, the district superintendent said, “We’re serious when we say athletics is a privilege, not a right”. Wonder what part of “serious” these students didn’t understand? The Supe went on to say “We are not trying to interfere with what happens outside of school, but if you’re going to represent the school, we expect you to uphold that image 24/7. We understand that people make mistakes, but there are consequences”.
Wow! Think we could get him to run some of our professional sports leagues with kind of commendable action? He is merely enforcing the commitment these athletes made when they signed on to comply with the MIAA (Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Association) rules. Every state association has such a requirement for athletic competition. Think we could get our sports pros to sign such a commitment?
How do we impress upon our youngsters that not only participation in sports is a privilege, but attending school to improve their skills with people who care about them is equally so? With the world being flat, our young people can readily see what better conditions for an education they have here compared to those in other countries. My hope is that the parents of these students will support the decision and not try to “protect” their kids by “getting them off”. Accept it, learn from it, and move on!
Will you be supportive of this disciplinary action?”
Jim Tunney
Tunny Side of Sport
Bob Messina
http://www.1stimage.com (to be redone)