Valliant Middle School Football Players Not Thieves!

Valliant Middle School athletes were falsely accused Thursday night of a theft of money from a Kingston student. An Oklahoma Highway Patrolman, allegedly acting upon a request from a Kingston police officer, stopped the Valliant school bus in Mead and made the bus return to the Kingston field. The bus and the players were searched and no stolen materials or cash was found. The amount of money said to be missing was about $20. Reportedly, a Kingston school official described the youth who made the accusation as a "trouble maker". The youth reportedly missed classes at Kingston Friday and hadn't been located. The claim was the cash was taken not from the dressing room where the Valliant players dress for the game, but from where the Kingston players dress. The incident was reported by KXII on the station's evening news. Although nothing was found to have been stolen, that fact was not reported. (not sure if reporter knew this or not, if reporter knew surely he would have reported it)

There's a lot more to this story but that pretty much sums it up. As a parent, this makes me mad, and if it were my kid I'd be even madder.
* The student making this accusation is a trouble maker.
*This matter should have been handled by the coaches.
*The Highway Patrolman used poor judgment in trying to stop a school bus full of kids on a busy highway and making it turn around.
*The students were falsely accused, received negative publicity from KXII, did not get home until after 1 a.m. and missed a scheduled dinner.
*IT WAS $20! How much gas was wasted in making them turn around?
*The cash was taken from the dressing room the Valliant players weren't even in.
*The police were called, the highway patrol was called, the bus was made to turn around, the bus and the kids were searched....for $20! What would they have done if it had been $200? Shoot first ask questions later?

As a parent I feel...The Valliant football players, the coaches, the bus driver and the parents all deserve an apology from the Kingston school, the Kingston police, the highway patrolman, the KXII reporter (if reporter knew the whole story and did not report it) and the student that made the accusation. And if it's proven this student lied, he needs to pay for the wasted gas!