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Recent incidences where alcohol has been consumed at athletic events has prompted the School Board to strengthen its policy toward abusers.

The School Board voted during a special meeting on Sept. 19 to allow principals to have more control in the punishment levels handed down on students who bring alcohol to athletic and extracurricular school events.

Adam Lindsey, Franklin County High School resource officer, told the board at its Sept. 11 meeting that 14 incidences of alcohol on school property involving FCHS students have been reported this year, including two at a football game in Tullahoma.

Lindsey said that alcohol on school property had once been a zero-tolerance policy issue where students could be suspended for infractions.

However, he said the punishment level had been downgraded to a lower tier that does little to discourage alcohol abuse.

“It’s like you’re suspended, and we’ll see you in two weeks,” Lindsey said, explaining that the conditions are essentially at no punishment level to discourage repeat incidences.

The board revised the policy to include an option for alcohol misbehavior where principals can send violating students to alternative school, separating them from the normal student body, and added another segment where those students can be banned from all School System extracurricular activities — as a participant or spectator, including sports teams, bands and clubs.

The punishment level, time spent in alternative school and time banned from extracurricular activities will be determined by principals.

Director of Schools Dr. Cary Holman explained on Sept. 19 that adding the two options gives additional punishment mechanisms to discourage alcohol consumption on school property. However, he added that the move includes leaving such infractions in a lower punishment-level bracket.

The system has misbehavior categories in the code-of-conduct policy, ranging from:

— Level I, which includes classroom disturbances, tardiness, cheating and lying and inappropriate language.

— Level II, which includes continued Level I infractions and can lead to in-school suspension and detention.

— Level III, which includes continued Level I infractions, fighting, vandalism, being under the influence of tobacco or alcohol and now includes the alternate-school option and being banned from school-related events.

— Level IV, which includes continued Level I, II and III infractions and adds extortion, vandalism, theft, arson and sexual misc0nduct and involves parents being notified and law enforcement authorities being contacted.

— Level V, which includes unlawful use of controlled substances, sale of narcotics, firearms possession, assault and aggravated assault and involves expulsion for no less than a year.

Holman explained his and his staff’s rationale toward the code-of-conduct policy changes.

“With Level III, we felt it was appropriate to leave it there,” he said, adding that the two additional mechanisms should serve as a deterrent to consuming alcohol on school property.