Needham High to issue breathalyzers at sporting events

NEEDHAM, Mass. -- A local high school is considering giving students breathalyzers before they can enter school sporting events.

Needham High School fans were on their best behavior at Friday night's women's basketball game after their principal announced a new policy Friday for all sporting events.

"Today they announced that they were congratulating all the teams and then they announced if you look drunk they're going to give a breathalyzer test," said Joel Longcoy, a Needham High School student.

The athletic director at Needham High told 7News that the assistant principals or the principal will carry the breathalyzer and if they feel a student is intoxicated, they will privately screen them.

Students have mixed feelings.

"It's kind of like paranoid they don't trust us at all so they think we're all drinking it's just kind of stupid," Stephen Farlow said.

"I guess it's a reasonable precaution just because our towns reputation for kind of behavior but I don't think it needs to be done regularly," said freshman Cynthia Highers.

This is another step in attempting to control the sometimes rowdy crowds.

In January, after a string of bad behavior, the entire student body was punished for poor sportsmanship by being banned from a hockey game against Dedham.

Parents, however, don't seem to have a problem with having the breathalyzer on site.

"I think they need to do something whether or not a breathalyzer is the way to go I'm not sure I think that maybe," said parent Robin Revzin.

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