High schooler fights to clear his name over vitamin C suspension

Over the counter dietary supplements, like vitamin C, are readily available at most pharmacies. HALTH REUTERS/David Gray

A little extra vitamin C is supposed to be good for you, but it could spell a premature end to the military career of an upstate New York high schooler, who is now appealing a three-day suspension he was given last month after school officials found tablets in the lunch bag he forgot on the school bus.

Wyatt Hatfield found himself in hot water after a bus driver at Marathon High School found a baggie containing vitamins in his lunch bag Oct. 13, according to WBNG 12. Officials said all medications must be approved by the school nurse, and the school has additional policies about so-called "lookalike" drugs and what containers over-the-counter products are kept in.

“If there is anything that you are consuming as far as a medication, it has to be in the original container,” Marathon superintendent Rebecca Stone told NYC Central. “It’s improper for any school administrator or teacher to talk about any student to other people.”

Hatfield and his parents, Samantha and Glen Hatfield, are fighting to clear the young man's name out of fear that the alleged infraction could hurt his plans to join the Army after graduation. They are currently appealing the suspension to the State Commissioner of Education after the local board of education rejected their request to have the record cleared.

“I found it quite ridiculous that I was being suspended for dietary supplements,” Wyatt Hatfield told WBNG.

His mother agreed.

“It's really getting foolish about what we're doing to students," Samantha Hatfield told the station. "We're not talking about elementary students, we're talking high school.”

Online reaction cited by EAGNews.org indicated most parents sided with the vitamin-popping prepster.

“I think a warning would have been fair, and educating the parents of the current rules,” Susan Taylor Lindeborn posted to Facebook. “Suspension doesn’t do anyone any good.”

“How pathetic,” Larry Purtell posted. “Have schools lost all common sense?”

“I would say suspension is a little extreme. Why not simply reach out to the parents for a meeting to clear up the whole thing?” Colleen Bullis questioned. “It’s getting just a little ridiculous anymore. I’m dreading what it will be like when my granddaughter is old enough for school. God only knows how craze it will be then!”

“Thank goodness this young thug was caught,” Bill O’Connor joked.