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North Andover teen punished for being designated driver


NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) – A 17-year-old North Andover High School student was stripped of her captain's position on the volleyball team and suspended for five games after she went to a party to pick up an intoxicated friend, reports The Boston Herald.

Erin Cox received a call from a friend, who was allegedly intoxicated, and asked her to pick her up from a party on Main Street in Boxford. Being a good friend, Erin went to pick her up, but instead met police just as they arrived at the house, the newspaper reports.

Authorities arrested a dozen underage drinkers and warned another 15 underage youth, including Erin Cox, that they would be summoned to court for drinking.

An officer at the scene vouched for Erin Cox's sobriety, but she was still summoned to court, stripped of her captain's position, and suspended.

Geoffrey Bok, the school's attorney, told the newspaper the school is trying to take a stand against teen drinking, which is a "serious problem."

Eleanor Cox, Erin's mother, has hired attorney Wendy Murphy. They are looking to fight back.

In a statement, Murphy said, "With near daily stories of high school students dying in alcohol-fueled car accidents, we should be glad that young people like Erin Cox are willing to help friends who might not otherwise get home safely. By punishing Erin Cox, the North Andover School District sends a contrary and very dangerous message – that young people are better off not letting their friends drive drunk. We will soon file formal legal action against the school district in the hope that officials there will think twice before imposing sanctions on any student whose only offense involves trying to prevent yet another drunk-driving tragedy."

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