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	Vol.7, No 14, September 22, 1999
	No Booze on field A high school athlete in Chicago is taking the Americans with Disabilities Act to new lengths.    The high school athletic department barred him from participating in any sport after he was involved in two alcohol-related incidents, including drunken driving.   Earlier this week he filed a lawsuit against the school, claiming that the ADA states alcoholism is a legal disability and that the school could not discriminate against him.   Is that really what the ADA is meant to do? Should alcoholics get the same benefits as the mentally handicapped? Are they truly disabled because they may have a genetic predisposition to the disease?   A high school also has the right to prohibit students from participating in school-sanctioned events such as sporting events if the student is using drugs or alcohol.    A drunken person with a baseball bat could pose a serious threat to other students. Or a puking player could pose a slipping danger for fellow teammates.    The ADA is meant to protect those who are really disabled. It was not meant to protect some punk teen-ager who wants to go out, get drunk and crash into a tree.    If he wins his case, it will be an insult to the truly disabled, the entire legal system, high-school sports and anyone with half of a brain.   The sad fact is that he is an admitted alcoholic. And because of that, he does not have the right to participate in high school athletics.   If the school has the right to prevent children from enrolling who do not have immunization shots, the school also has the right to deny a student with a possibly life-threatening "disability."   This jerk has broken the law. Driving while intoxicated is illegal. He has done it before. He is a repeat offender. He is lucky that he is not in jail. Getting kicked off the football team should be the last of his worries.    He should be taking the time to find treatment for his problem.    The school's athletic policy states that after the first alcohol or drug offense, the player's participation would be cut by 30 percent. The second offense would cause the player to be suspended for the remainder of the season.   If his alcoholism such a great problem, then why worry about playing football instead of finding treatment for the alcoholism.		Year-round class looked at KBEACH offers easy listening cuisine 'Dirty' teacher may be fired CSULB recognized for lending helping hand No booze on field Holiday buzz beginning Art critic gives personal touch 'The Dictator's Nose' has confusing plot structure Doheny Beach Days disappoints Team has ups, downs at meet Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.