Parents and Teen Face Criminal Charges Over Party That Delayed School’s Reopening

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • September 24, 2020

Two parents and their teenage child in Sudbury, Massachusetts are facing criminal charges for hosting a party with underage drinkers which eventually led to the local high school to delay in-person learning.

On Sept. 11, police broke up a large house party in a town near Boston involving 50-60 Lincoln-Sudbury High School students. As police arrived, teens fled into the woods, chucking beer cans as they went. Police found dozens of underage drinkers packed together, wearing no masks, in the basement.

The adults and child were charged with violating the state’s social host law, the Sudbury police chief, Scott Nix, told NBC News. Under the law, adults who give alcohol to underage drinkers face a fine of up to $2,000 or up to a year in prison.

 At least 13 teens at the party gave false names to officers and another 15 fled into the woods. Although there were no known coronavirus cases at the party, the unidentified teens created a risk for the wider school community. Health officials and school administrators decided to delay in-person learning after the entire school could quarantine for 14 days.

The high school was supposed to open Sept. 15 with a combination of in-person classes and virtual learning.

“After the intensity of hard work and planning that has been done to be able to start school with students in-person, we are profoundly disappointed at this sudden change of plans,” Superintendent and Principal Bella Wong said in a letter to parents.

A hybrid learning schedule with some in-person classes is set to begin at the high school on Tuesday.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. She can be reached at [email protected]

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