A group of Clear Fork High School students were charged with misdemeanors and one student was issued a citation for underage consumption of alcohol at a party that was held late Saturday night at one of the student’s homes in Butler.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call which alerted officers of a party involving underage teenagers who were allegedly drinking alcohol and posting pictures of the party on Facebook, according to a report released by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon arriving to the location at 21331 Swendal Road, the responding officers, David Devolld and Michael Rutherford, noticed approximately 10 individuals who were in an outbuilding behind the residence. The report says that the officers noticed numerous Bud Light beer cans and a table set up for a beer pong game.
Several of the students admitted to consuming beer, the report says, and everyone was given a preliminary breath test.
Benji Bethea, Clear Fork athletic director, led the initial investigation for the incident because the students involved are athletes. He said that the students were in violation of the school’s athletic code; although, he could not discuss what the violation then means for the students because the investigation is still ongoing.
Clear Fork High School Principal Brian Brown commented, “We have noticed a rise in some of this type of activity over the past several years, not just at Clear Fork, but across the board with other area schools. Everyone’s concerned and worried about it…We can’t just ignore the problem and think it’s going to go away. We’re going to need everyone, the school, parents, neighbors, everyone to take ownership and help keep this stuff out of our communities.”
“We have noticed a rise in some of this type of activity over the past several years, not just at Clear Fork, but across the board with other area schools. Everyone’s concerned and worried about it…We can’t just ignore the problem and think it’s going to go away. We’re going to need everyone, the school, parents, neighbors, everyone to take ownership and help keep this stuff out of our communities.”
Clear Fork High School Principal Brian Brown