NORTON - Norton High School athletes have long faced serious consequences if they are caught drinking or using drugs - even off campus.

Now, school officials are proposing the same hammer be held over the heads of all students.

Student athletes are penalized based on Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association policy, starting with having to sit out 25 percent of their contests for the first offense.

That can mean giving up "a significant part of their season," Principal Raymond Dewar said.

But students who aren't on a sports team don't lose any extracurricular privileges, he said. And Dewar considers that unfair.

A substance abuse outside-of-school policy he has proposed would hold all students to "the same standard," he said, and that includes getting caught at a drinking party.

That would mean no participation in extracurricular activities for 30 days. Athletes would not even be allowed to practice.

Dewar said the penalty would not be imposed based on hearsay. Police would be the most probable source of his information.

"If somebody got caught tonight, they would miss out on the semiformal. They would miss out on the Snow Ball," Dewar said. "Those are pretty significant events to kids."

However, some school board members question whether Dewar's proposal is too intrusive.

"Is it really reasonable for the school to have jurisdiction that extends into the kid's entire life?" Vice Chairman Andrew Mackie said.

The school board asked Dewar to work with Superintendent Patricia Ansay and the student council to revise it.

"I need more time to think about it. I need more information," Mackie said.

Dewar said his proposal follows several district efforts to promote awareness of drug and alcohol use. Norton, for example, is part of the Tri-Town Drug and Alcohol Awareness Partnership, which also includes Mansfield and Foxboro.

The partnership sponsored an underage drinking forum last month at Patriot Place in Foxboro.

Dewar said school officials are finding they "have to be as positive as we can addressing drug and alcohol use with Norton teenagers."

"If we're trying to promote good decision making, we have to try to promote it when bad things usually happen: on the weekends," Dewar said.

Other school districts have similar policies, Dewar said.

"I think it's becoming more and more common because of the fact we want to have equity," he said. "We want to hold everybody to a higher standard."

Student Joseph Petrelli, who represents the student council on the school board, said he supports the policy.

"I think it would act as a good deterrent for students to stay away from drugs and alcohol," Petrelli said.

Petrelli asked how Dewar would react if "one student decides to rat out another student."

"That's hearsay," Dewar replied.

"One of my questions is, 'How did you get this?'" Dewar said.

MICHAEL GELBWASSER covers Norton for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.