Three school employees, one a councilman, arrested at football game.
October 27, 2008 - Three men, one of them a councilman, were arrested Friday night at a football game.
Three employees of LaFayette High School, including a LaFayette, Ga., councilman, and a fourth man were arrested at Southeast Whitfield High School on Friday night for possession of alcoholic beverages on school grounds, according to Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood.. Dunfee is the baseball coach at LaFayette. Hodge is an assistant coach at the school and is also a member of the LaFayette City Council. Mr. Neal’s position at the school is not known.
Whitfield officials said Michael Dunfee, Norman Hodge, James Neal and another unnamed man were booked on possession of alcoholic beverages on school grounds.
All took breath tests before their arrests. Reportedly, all three were back at school today. The unnamed man was Benjamin Neal.
One parent wasn't happy.
Glenda Edwards son is a senior who used to play football for the Ramblers. Edwards said, "I was shocked because I actually grew up and went to school with Norm Hodge."Mug shots here.
We aksed her if she spoke to her son about the arrests. She said, "I didn't really discuss it too much because there is so many teachers and coaches and things that get away with things in schools now. They're so protected by the state now the parents don't have any options."
October 27 - From The Daily Citizen:
Three LaFayette High School coaches who were arrested for possession of alcoholic beverages on school grounds at Southeast High School Friday night were asked to leave the press box during the football game between LaFayette and Southeast before deputies arrived, a sheriff’s office report said.--------------------------
Another man was also arrested. The men were asked to “watch their language” by a Southeast teacher and were being loud, according to the report. Jason Carter, assistant principal at Southeast, called deputies to the press box and said “he could smell the strong odor of what he believed to be alcoholic beverages,” the report said.
TT - Nice role models. It was probably a lark, but irresponsible and stupid.
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Walker County Messenger (October 29) - “Possession” is a relative term in alcohol case"
It's relative and may be decided by a judge. (or the prosecutor.)
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TT - The Professional Standards Committee does not list disciplinary actions. They do, however, have their meeting minutes online. Like many Canadian provinces, they list case numbers, not names. Even the names of those whose licenses have been revoked for criminal activity.
In September 2008, they reviewed 55 probable cause cases. Minutes
There were 9 licenses revoked for Abuse of Students. No names.
Compare this lack of transparency and accountability to how some other states see their responsibilities to taxpayers at their websites.
Pennyslvania
South Carolina
Florida
Vermont
Utah
Georgia, unlike most states, doesn't even have their State Board of Education meeting minutes online.
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October 30 - "Arrested Lafayette Coaches Back at School"
