Wootton High School acting Principal Kimberly Boldon sent a letter to parents and students Tuesday saying she’s concerned that promotional materials for a spring break trip to Mexico organized by parents of some of the school’s seniors downplay the risks of underage drinking.
Boldon also wrote she wants “to make it abundantly clear that this trip is in no way affiliated with Wootton High School.”
WUSA9, which first reported about the planned trip, reported that Tracie Saltzman, the wife of Kenneth Saltzman, is one of two organizers of the trip. Kenneth Saltzman was convicted in December of allowing underage drinking at a June party at his North Potomac home. Two recent Wootton graduates, Calvin Li and Alex Murk, were killed in a collision shortly after leaving the party at Saltzman’s home, according to Montgomery County police.
The driver, Sam Ellis, also a graduate of the Rockville high school, is facing multiple alcohol-related and manslaughter charges in the case.
In the letter, Boldon expressed her concern that promotional and informational materials for the trip, which were obtained by WUSA9, “do not strongly discourage the consumption of alcoholic beverages by our students.”
The legal drinking age in Mexico is 18.
“Our community has suffered tremendous losses, and I am disappointed that anyone would imply that drinking by our students who are not yet of legal drinking age is acceptable—even if it may be allowed in a different country,” Boldon wrote.
The promotional materials, which were posted on WUSA9’s website, state the trip to a resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, will take place in March 2016 “for certain Wootton H.S. Seniors and families/family friends.”
The materials, which appear to be an agreement written in a legal style, also note the legal age to drink alcohol in Mexico is 18 and state, in bold capital letters “all travelers who choose to drink alcohol agree to do so responsibly and in accordance with applicable law.”
Tracie Saltzman, when reached by the news network, said the trip organizers included Mexico’s drinking age in the promotional materials to “make families aware of the different law,” according to the report.
