Andover Teen Suspended, Tuition Lost For UMass Mask Violation

ANDOVER, MA —A snapshot and social media post are costing an Andover teen and her two classmates dearly at UMass-Amherst.

The parents of the Andover freshman told WBZ-AM the University of Massachusetts suspended the three freshmen — and kept their tuition — because they posted a photo of themselves not wearing facemasks at an off-campus gathering, which violated strict campus coronavirus protocols.

The parents told the station the punishment was overly harsh — especially because the school itself held a celebration event after the UMass men's hockey team won the national championship last month where videos show social distancing and some mask guidelines were not always followed.

But the school is not budging, releasing a statement saying: "Students received a number of public health messages this semester that emphasized the importance of following public health protocols and the consequences for not complying, and those messages were also shared on UMass social media channels."

The parents requested to the station that their daughter's identity remain confidential while they are fighting the suspension and forfeited tuition, which they said is about $16,000.

The parents said they were told the freshmen will have to reapply for admittance next semester, but that they have already missed housing registration.

They said they plan a lawsuit unless the university relents.