Easton Area school officials have new rules for students at Cottingham Stadium football games, days after a teen was found with a loaded handgun at the Easton-Liberty game in Bethlehem.
Safety and security concerns at recent home football games mean there will be an increased level of security and crowd control at the city stadium, Easton Area High School Principal Kyle Geiger said in a YouTube video posted Tuesday.
Starting Friday, there will be more district personnel and uniformed police officers from the district and the city at the stadium. Parents are “strongly encouraged” to attend games with students in eighth grade and younger.
Students will not be allowed to wear non-medical face masks inside the stadium, and cannot bring any type of bag inside, Geiger said.
Student tickets will not be sold after the end of first quarter, and students will not be allowed into the stadium once the first quarter of the game has ended.
Only adults will be allowed to use “Rover Alley,” the area underneath the home stands, as a thoroughfare. Students will not be allowed in Rover Alley, Geiger said, and can access bathrooms at either end of the stands.
Students will not be allowed to loiter in or around the food vendors, and they must be seated in the stands or standing at either end of the stadium behind the end zones, Geiger said.
Lights will be on in the Vanderveer parking lot and park during and after the game.
High school sport events are school activities where the school code of conduct applies, the principal said. Students my be removed from the stadium and any incidents may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.
The 17-year-old found with the gun Friday was not a Bethlehem student.
Bethlehem police said the teen was at the game in support of one of the football players, but they were not sure for which team.
The teen has been charged as a juvenile in connection with the incident, and is being held in the Northampton County Juvenile Justice Center.
The police department is having discussions with the school district on security steps to take in the wake of the incident, police Capt. Nicholas Lechman said.
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Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.
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