Dedham Students Will Now Be Punished for Incidents Off School Grounds

Starting today, the "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU) will go into affect.

Students can now face punishment if they are involved in any one of the incidents described in the document.

Within the MOU, incidents include being caught with alcohol, drugs, fights, or threats of fights on or off school ground.

“I don’t think you should really get in trouble for something out of school,” says Dedham High School senior Annie Joy Abbott told CBS News. “You’re not even on school property.”

According to CBS News, The motion passed 6-1 last night during the school board meeting- ending months of debating.

Principals now have the most power to punish students who are caught with alcohol, or drugs.  And students can face up to a month's suspension.

Even though many parents agree that the new MOU is less harsh than the last, there are some, like mother of three Camilla Rush, who are still concerned.

"I think sometimes they need to let us parents be parents," Rush told CBS. "Let us punish the kids. I do like if you need help, you can go to someone for backup, but let us be parents too.”