GASTON, Ore. — A group of Gaston parents say their kids were unfairly kicked off the football team for being at a party where drugs were introduced.
Gaston School District Business Manager Chrissy Jarvis confirmed several students were suspended for the rest of the football season for breaking the district’s athletic code of conduct at a recent party.
Some of those students were reported to have been smoking marijuana around a bonfire. But the parents of two of those suspended athletes said their boys didn't take drugs.
“Say ‘no,’ leave the situation— that's what he did,” said Crystal Still, talking about her son, eighth-grader Tristan Still.
Carl Liesegang said his son, freshman Austin Liesegang, was also at the party and didn’t take drugs.
“I asked him, ‘Did you smoke it?’ He goes, ‘nNo dad, I have goals,’” said Liesegang.
Both parents said the boys were stuck at the sleepover because it was well after midnight and they’re too young to drive. Liesegang said when he dropped off his son, he told him he wouldn't be home and his mother can't drive after dark. For that reason, he believes the boys didn't call home. Instead, the parents said their sons considered the code of conduct and did what they thought was right.
“He did the best he could to get out of the situation—that's going into the house… evidently that wasn't sufficient,” said Liesegang.
“It's something our district takes very seriously,” said Jarvis, adding that she couldn’t speak specifically about this case, but that it had been thoroughly investigated by multiple school officials. Jarvis also pointed to where the code of conduct says, "students are responsible for being aware of their surroundings, and if illegal consumption is taking place, they must take immediate steps to leave the activity safely."
“Our pledge is very, very clear,” said Jarvis.
Tristan’s mother argued that in this case, it wasn’t clear.
“My son left the activity, which was the pot smoking,” said Still. “He went inside the house to go to bed. That's how I'm interpreting it—that’s how half the town is interpreting it.”
Austin's father said he met with the principal and was told the boys should've started walking home or called a parent. He also said despite suspending the boys, the school commended them for not doing drugs.
“So I asked [the principal], why are we here?” Liesegang said. “And she goes, ‘I'm trying to send message.’ I said, ‘The message you're sending is contradiction and hypocrisy.’”
Jarvis offered a different reason.
“Ensuring that [students] represent themselves and our district to the highest standard is our job,” said Jarvis.
Austin and Tristan’s parents said they're in the process of appealing the suspension.