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Several parents of the Bear River athletes suspended Tuesday due to a violation of the school district's athletic code not only disagree with the result of the school's investigation, but also how it was conducted.
A total of 14 winter sports athletes - including 10 of the 11 varsity girls basketball players - were suspended after attending a party in Granite Bay where alcohol was consumed, according to parents of the players involved.
Because all but one member of the basketball team was involved, the Lady Bruins will forfeit the remaining games on their season schedule.
Some parents took issue with actions by school officials on Friday, when the incident was first reported.
"I feel like this was too much of a knee-jerk reaction," said Mike Spencer, father of Bruins basketball player Talore Spencer.
Mike Spencer said he did not know the extent of the investigation until the parents met with Bear River's administration Monday night to discuss the issue - which he was still in the dark about.
"I knew nothing about it other than the game was canceled Friday night," he said.
When he walked into the meeting, he was expecting his daughter, as well as the other girls, to receive some form of punishment, which he does not disagree with, but not have their season canceled - and for that matter over an issue he sees as non-school related.
"It was a private residence," Spencer said, referring to a party that was held in Granite Bay. "Do I condone it? No. Did it see it when I went to high school? Across the board."
And then there's an accusation by several parents that Bear River's administration violated the students' civil rights by taking their cell phones and forcing them to log on to their MySpace accounts, a social networking site, while the school's assistant principals Cindy Gordon and Tony Quirarte downloaded their pictures of the party.
"Talking to a group of students, it's not unnormal to take cell phones so they can't talk to each other," Bear River principal Jim Nieto said. "We'll talk with students and we'll find information."
As for MySpace: "We may view those things," he said.
Nieto also answered the allegations that students were forced to log into their MySpace accounts while assistant principal Gordon downloaded their pictures.
"My comment on that is that's not consistent with what Ms. Gordon has told me," he said.
The use of MySpace angered some parents while others were still somewhat in shock over the matter.
"It's pretty disappointing," said parent Larry Uno. "Not much we can do. I know some of the parents are trying to appeal it to the board (of education) and the superintendent of schools.
"They just said that (the administration) heard something was going on through talking to students and stuff like that and they came to a conclusion that there was alcohol involved."
"Apparently, that was the rumor going around," Uno said regarding the social networking site. "Something was on MySpace that probably triggered the whole thing."
The cause of the investigation has not been determined. Neither administrators or parents could or would point to the actual cause either.
"When the information came to us, we followed up on that by interviewing the students involved," Nieto said. "Once we were confident that the information was factual, we made a decision to cancel Friday's game (against Placer).
"I understand their point," Nieto said of the parents in disagreement. "And we're always here to inform parents and students there is a process to go through if they disagree."
Parents do have the option of appealing to Nevada Joint Union High School District superintendent Ralf Swenson and then later to the board of education. But the parents may be even split on that matter.
Parents were characterized as being split down the middle regarding the forfeiture at Monday's meeting by Uno while Mike Spencer said there was a small portion of the parents for the punishment and the majority was against it.
Peggy Greven, the mother of junior Heather Greven, said while the players made a mistake, she doesn't believe school officials should have been investigating an incident that was not school related.
"Yeah, these kids did wrong, because no parents want their kids to be drinking," Peggy Greven said. "But when it's after hours, after school, that's when parents are supposed to step in and do their job."
ooo
To contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton, e-mail bhamilton@theunion.com or call 477-4240.
ooo
To contact Sports Writer Zuri Berry, e-mail zberry@theunion.com or call 477-4244.
A total of 14 winter sports athletes - including 10 of the 11 varsity girls basketball players - were suspended after attending a party in Granite Bay where alcohol was consumed, according to parents of the players involved.
Because all but one member of the basketball team was involved, the Lady Bruins will forfeit the remaining games on their season schedule.
Some parents took issue with actions by school officials on Friday, when the incident was first reported.
"I feel like this was too much of a knee-jerk reaction," said Mike Spencer, father of Bruins basketball player Talore Spencer.
Mike Spencer said he did not know the extent of the investigation until the parents met with Bear River's administration Monday night to discuss the issue - which he was still in the dark about.
"I knew nothing about it other than the game was canceled Friday night," he said.
When he walked into the meeting, he was expecting his daughter, as well as the other girls, to receive some form of punishment, which he does not disagree with, but not have their season canceled - and for that matter over an issue he sees as non-school related.
"It was a private residence," Spencer said, referring to a party that was held in Granite Bay. "Do I condone it? No. Did it see it when I went to high school? Across the board."
And then there's an accusation by several parents that Bear River's administration violated the students' civil rights by taking their cell phones and forcing them to log on to their MySpace accounts, a social networking site, while the school's assistant principals Cindy Gordon and Tony Quirarte downloaded their pictures of the party.
"Talking to a group of students, it's not unnormal to take cell phones so they can't talk to each other," Bear River principal Jim Nieto said. "We'll talk with students and we'll find information."
As for MySpace: "We may view those things," he said.
Nieto also answered the allegations that students were forced to log into their MySpace accounts while assistant principal Gordon downloaded their pictures.
"My comment on that is that's not consistent with what Ms. Gordon has told me," he said.
The use of MySpace angered some parents while others were still somewhat in shock over the matter.
"It's pretty disappointing," said parent Larry Uno. "Not much we can do. I know some of the parents are trying to appeal it to the board (of education) and the superintendent of schools.
"They just said that (the administration) heard something was going on through talking to students and stuff like that and they came to a conclusion that there was alcohol involved."
"Apparently, that was the rumor going around," Uno said regarding the social networking site. "Something was on MySpace that probably triggered the whole thing."
The cause of the investigation has not been determined. Neither administrators or parents could or would point to the actual cause either.
"When the information came to us, we followed up on that by interviewing the students involved," Nieto said. "Once we were confident that the information was factual, we made a decision to cancel Friday's game (against Placer).
"I understand their point," Nieto said of the parents in disagreement. "And we're always here to inform parents and students there is a process to go through if they disagree."
Parents do have the option of appealing to Nevada Joint Union High School District superintendent Ralf Swenson and then later to the board of education. But the parents may be even split on that matter.
Parents were characterized as being split down the middle regarding the forfeiture at Monday's meeting by Uno while Mike Spencer said there was a small portion of the parents for the punishment and the majority was against it.
Peggy Greven, the mother of junior Heather Greven, said while the players made a mistake, she doesn't believe school officials should have been investigating an incident that was not school related.
"Yeah, these kids did wrong, because no parents want their kids to be drinking," Peggy Greven said. "But when it's after hours, after school, that's when parents are supposed to step in and do their job."
ooo
To contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton, e-mail bhamilton@theunion.com or call 477-4240.
ooo
To contact Sports Writer Zuri Berry, e-mail zberry@theunion.com or call 477-4244.
