Schools

M.A.D.D. President Weighs in on Cox Battle

And her stance may surprise you.

In an odd twist in the Erin Cox saga, Mothers Against Drunk Driving President Jan Withers has spoken publicly about the controversy. And her thoughts may surprise you.

Cox, 17, says she went to a party in Boxford to pick up her intoxicated friend, and the police arrived and arrested several alleged underage drinkers. Cox was summonsed for being at the party, but a Boxford Police officer wrote in a statement that she did not seem drunk. Nevertheless, Cox was demoted from her position as volleyball team captain and suspended from five games.

Withers is speaking out praising Cox for her concern for her friend but also praising the North Andover School Department's tough stance on teenage drinking. Winters also suggests Cox did the wrong thing by not contacting an adult that night.

"This is a complicated situation involving the health and safety of our youth," Withers wrote on her blog Wednesday. "Underage drinking prevention is a key part of MADD’s mission because it is so dangerous. Underage drinking is not just a youth problem; it’s an adult issue too. So MADD appreciates all efforts to keep our youth safe, both on and off the road."

When asked about the issue by Fox News, Withers reportedly called the school administration's reaction "admirable."

"By getting these young people off to a good start, we are taking a giant step toward their future health and safety," Withers wrote on her blog. "That’s why MADD is focused on tackling underage drinking, a problem that threatens our youth and endangers entire communities, now and down the road."


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