HUDSON FALLS, N.Y. (WRGB) — A Hudson Falls High School senior was benched for the biggest games of his athletic career after choosing to stay and cooperate with police at a party where others ran from the scene. The school district maintains that its rules are clear and must be enforced, but the decision has sparked a debate over fairness and character.
Santino Miranda, a senior on the basketball team, said he understood the risks that come with high school parties. But on Valentine’s Day, when he realized police were responding to the house where the gathering was taking place, he chose not to flee. Instead, he spoke with officers and stayed behind to help his friend.
Because his name appeared in the police report, Miranda was suspended for the remainder of the basketball season — including sectionals — and is expected to miss at least part of the upcoming baseball season.
“I have no idea what I did wrong, because in my eyes, I literally did nothing wrong in this situation,” Miranda said. “My friend who was holding the party, he was freaking out and his house was a mess. Those are the two reasons I stayed. I could have walked to the house, I could have just went home as soon as the cops were called, but I had no reason to leave. I was going to help clean up his house. I was going to make sure he was OK. And why not talk to the police?”
Education attorney and Tully Rinckey partner Nancy Nissen said the case highlights legitimate questions about fairness, even though schools do have the authority to enforce athletic codes.
“It’s a difficult one because it raises issues of fairness and discipline,” Nissen said. “I saw the interview you did with the student, and it makes your heart go out to this student because he did the right thing. If we look at it from the law part, right? He signed a contract with the school to play basketball, and the school has the authority to discipline him.”
Hudson Falls Central School District’s athletic code requires athletes to immediately leave any area where alcohol is present.
“Does that mean he should you know rat out everybody? Probably not,” she said. “But I think maybe the bigger issues are do the schools want to have laws and rules that encourage people to do the right thing?”
Superintendent Daniel Ward told CBS6 the investigation is ongoing and said Miranda was encouraged to provide information about others who attended the party.
Miranda’s mother, Sharon Piazza, called the school’s stance a punishment for honesty.
“It’s wrong. It is just wrong. And they honestly — the school district should be ashamed of themselves for what they’ve done here. It’s completely unjust.”
Nissen added that while the school has the right to enforce its code, it also has the ability to consider mitigating factors — essentially a reduced penalty because Miranda chose to cooperate with police.
