Great Moments in Local Government

As a good libertarian, I believe in the right of contract, including the right to insist on stupid employment conditions. After all, neither employers nor employers are obliged to enter into any particular agreement. But that certainly does not prevent me from commenting on the inane practices of government - including the recent decision to fire a high school softball coach because a few parents drank modest amounts of alcohol at a team pool part. A DC-area radio station has a report on local government run amok:

The man who guided his varsity softball team to a 2A Western Region title this spring was terminated last week for violating a school alcohol policy. In a phone interview Monday, Walkersville High School coach Brad Young acknowledged that a couple of parents brought beer to the annual post-season team cookout and pool party at his home in June -- a violation of Frederick County Public School rules prohibiting alcohol at any school function. Young, in his fifth year as head softball coach, does not work for the school system and said he was unaware that parents drinking at his home during a post-season team party constituted a violation of the alcohol-free, drug-free, tobacco-free school system rules. ...Young and team parents said none of the students at the party drank or had access to alcohol. The letter Young received from the school system does not allege that any students drank or had access to alcohol at the party. None of the adults at the party were intoxicated, the parents and coach said. ...Bob McNally, father of two players on this year's team, said he brought beer to the team function at Young's home, unaware it would be a school system policy violation for the coach to permit it at a team party. "None of the students had access to alcohol or were drinking," McNally said in a phone interview Monday. "The girls simply had a lot of fun. And Brad (Young) did not drink. In no way shape or form did any parents or school employee put any of the students in jeopardy or do anything illegal or immoral." McNally described Young as a "great role model for those kids," and "a mentor who gives 150 percent" for the students-athletes in his charge.