Middle School Students In Baldwin Suspended After Allegedly Drinking Alcohol

BALDWIN (KDKA) -- Almost a dozen middle school students in Baldwin were suspended after allegedly drinking alcohol on school grounds.

KDKA talked to a sixth-grader at J.E. Harrison Middle School who was suspended.

He says he didn't know what he was drinking had alcohol in it.

"I walked into school and my friend told me that my other friend had a drink with Sprite and Jolly Ranchers in a 2-liter bottle and I took a sip of it and went throughout the day," the student said.

He said around 10 kids tried the drink on Tuesday.

A teacher got suspicious at lunchtime, and it was learned that the drink had similar effects to alcohol.

The students were sent to the nurse and interviewed by administrators.

The boy's dad says the suspension is too harsh.

"They were just introduced to it, as a kid would hand you a candy bar and say do you want a Kit Kat? They thought it was one thing and it ended up being another," the father said.

He was most concerned that the student with the bottle didn't get caught sooner.

"It's concerning that the staff in the school allowed a student to walk around with a 2-liter bottle ... and nobody caught it," he said.

Superintendent Randal Lutz said a report was filed with the police.

Lutz also issued a statement, saying:

"While I will not discuss specific information regarding a student discipline matter, I will confirm that students were disciplined for drinking a beverage that contained alcohol while in the school setting."