ABOUT A DOZEN CHARLOTTE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO WALK GRADUATION NEXT WEEK AFTER THEY WERE CAUGHT UNDER THE INFLUENCE AT PROM SATURDAY NIGHT. PUBLISHED REPORTS SAY THE STUDENTS ALL ARRIVED AT THE PROM AT THE CHARLOTTE HARBOR EVENTS CENTER IN THE SAME LIMOUSINE, AND WHEN ONE BECAME SICK AND SEEMED INTOXICATED, PRINCIPAL BARNEY DUFFY ASKED POLICE TO GET AN ALCOHOL BREATH-TEST MACHINE. ABOUT 20 STUDENTS WERE ACTUALLY TESTED, AND THE 12 THAT TESTED POSITIVE WERE THROWN OUT OF THE PROM AND FORCED TO WAIT IN A ROOM UNTIL THEIR PARENTS ARRIVED TO TAKE THEM HOME. NO ALCOHOL WAS FOUND IN THE LIMO OR ON THE STUDENTS WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW POLICE TO ARREST ANYONE. HOWEVER, SINCE IT WAS A SCHOOL FUNCTION, THE STUDENTS ARE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE BY THE SCHOOL. DISTRICT SPOKESMAN MIKE RILEY TOLD THE HERALD TRIBUNE THAT DUFFY WILL MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER THE STUDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO WALK GRADUATION BY THE END OF THE WEEK. GRADUATION IS MAY 19TH.
