Pubdate: Thu, 23 Dec 1999
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 1999, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Contact:  414-224-8280
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Forum: http://www.jsonline.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimate.cgi
Author: Linda Spice of the Journal Sentinel staff

AFTER KIDS' POT VIDEO, FATHER LAMENTS

He Says He Was Deceived, Saw No Alcohol Or Marijuana As Palmyra-Eagle
Middle Schoolers Partied In His Barn

A Town of Eagle father whose son and other middle schoolers videotaped
themselves drinking, smoking pot and fondling each other warned other
parents Wednesday not to be deceived by their children.

During a telephone interview, the man said his experience with the
Dec. 11 party had opened his eyes.

"There appears to be alcohol amongst teenagers that appears to be much
higher than I realized," he said. "I want other parents to be aware of
that. They should find out where their kids are going and when the
kids are at that place, keep two eyes on them, not one."

The man is under investigation after the party, held in a barn on his
property where police said his son, 13, and nine friends videotaped
themselves. The tape was to be a gift to cheer a 13-year-old friend
recovering from injuries received in a suspected drunken driving crash
on Dec. 4.

A total of 12 children from Palmyra-Eagle Middle School, ages 12 and
13, attended the party, which the father said he had supervised
full-time - even joining participants in a pool tournament. However,
people broke away from the group and made the videotape, he
acknowledged.

Police said they had asked the father before the party to consider
canceling it after rumors circulated at the school that drugs and
alcohol would be present. However, the father said Wednesday he was
only told by Eagle Police Chief Hans Lux that there would likely be
increased traffic on his road if his son had guests. "That was it,"
the father said.

Chief Calls Dad 'Incorrect'

"That is an incorrect statement," Lux said later of the father's
denial. "He was clearly told drugs and alcohol were going to be
involved. My comment is: 'How serious should you take it when a law
enforcement officer - especially a police chief - seeks you out and
makes contact to let you know something is going to occur?' This was
not a social call."

The father said he believed he took "reasonable, prudent" measures to
prevent any illegal activity. They included being involved with the
children, taking his son's word there would be no illegal activity,
locking up his own beer in the trunk of his car and informing his son
that he would be tested for drugs the following Monday.

"I did everything short of search them just to make sure," the man
said. "I wanted them to be able to get together."

The father said he took precautions because his son was busted in
April with another boy for underage drinking on the property and was
promptly grounded. He wanted, however, to believe his son's promise.

"As it turns out, 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
me,' " the man said. "He (the son) told me he learned his lesson then,
nothing to be worried about. He didn't want to be grounded again. (He
said) he wouldn't do anything stupid. You want to believe your child."

District Attorney Paul Bucher's office is investigating the case
personally after Palmyra and Eagle police turned over the videotape
last week. School officials had originally given the tape to police
after learning about it from a parent.

Boy's Punishment Disclosed

The man said his son has been grounded, banned from visits with
friends, prohibited from watching MTV and may not use the telephone,
adding that his son will be made to take responsibility for any
financial costs resulting from any tickets issued by the district
attorney's office.

Also, when the son eventually gets his license, he won't be allowed to
drive for the first three months, the father said.

The father said he is cooperating with authorities to determine where
the youths obtained the alcohol, possibly brought in by another boy in
a backpack.

"I can say I didn't supply any marijuana or alcohol or any illegal
substance. Nor was I aware the children were using any illegal
substances," the father said. "The kids didn't appear to be under the
influence of alcohol or drugs." 
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