How about a code of conduct for parents?

This week, Forest Hills Schools adopted a new code of conduct for students involved in clubs, sports and other school activities. In essence, it says that a student who breaks the code at any time, in any location -- after school, weekends, at a friend's party -- will be banned from any activity for the remainder of that school year.

Lots of people have, will and should weigh in on the scope of such a conduct code, and can debate all they want where the school's role -- and supervision -- should start and where it should end. Is Forest Hills messing with how far a school system should reach into the life of its families? That could be, but the other side of this coin is that families reach into the life of a school system all the time with the poor conduct they abide and even abet in their children. And they reach into the lives of other families, often without invitation or permission.

I've known parents who say it's solely their business if their teenager drinks at a weekend party. I've heard of parents who offer visiting teenagers an alcoholic drink, or host a party where there's alcohol. I've known parents who turn over their house to their kids for parties.

Some of that behavior puts other people's children at risk, and compromises the standards those families set. And to think it doesn't eventually have an impact on the culture of a high school is naive.

Tolerating under-age drinking and certainly abetting underage drinking -- or excusing incidents of vandalism, harassment or other behaviors that violate conduct codes -- is wrong no matter how you look at it. Excusing it as the height of a parent's rights is not only a shortsighted way to justify it, but a selfish one.

Parents can complain all they want when a district such as Forest Hills adopts an aggressive and sweeping code of conduct. Maybe Forest Hills is reaching beyond its logical responsibility. But that's only because too many families and teenagers don't accept the responsibility that is rightfully theirs.