Drinks before a school meeting?

[TamJamB]

I ran across this link to a local questions and answer column and was interested in the eHellion take on this:

http://austin.culturemap.com/news/life/04-09-13-emotional-hardbody-answers-drinks-beore-school-meeting/

And here is a cut and paste of the question:

Last Wednesday there was a parents' meeting at 7 p.m. at my son’s elementary school. Another mom of a child in my son’s class emailed a group of moms suggesting that we get together for dinner at Applebee’s before the meeting since we were all going to be kid-free. (The meeting was for parents only.) 

Thinking this was a nice way to get to know these moms better, I went. I ended up getting to know them better, alright, but that doesn’t mean I like what I found out. Several of the moms ordered alcoholic beverages along with their meals! No one got drunk, mind you, but the fact that they were drinking before a school meeting struck me as totally inappropriate.... Can you help set me straight on this matter? Is it really okay to consume alcohol before a school meeting?


I won't disclose the answer, nor my own opinion, just yet.  I'm curious about what other people think of the issue.

[amylouky]

I wouldn't have a problem with a drink with dinner. I don't think it matters that it was before a school meeting.

[MOM21SON]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

[jane7166]

It might make negative news about your child go down better!  Sorry, first thought that crossed my mind.

I don't see the problem with drinking during dinner as long as no one is getting tipsy. 

[Yvaine]

I don't see anything wrong with it either. I think this LW is having a knee-jerk reaction to "drinking" and "school" together, but it's not like it's the kids knocking back a few before class. It's adults having a drink before a meeting for adults.

[Outdoor Girl]

Nothing wrong with a beer or a glass of wine with dinner, before a school meeting or otherwise.

[Sharnita]

As a teacher I think it is fine. Now, if you are coming.to the school activity altered that is a problem but it doesn't sound like they were. Some parents come in "under the influence" of nicotine or caffiene.

[SlitherHiss]

LW needs to unbunch his undies, stat! No one got plastered, or even tipsy. Having a drink with dinner is entirely appropriate.

[Hmmmmm]

I'm so glad I don't know this letter writer. She would have been appalled that many of our PTA committee meetings occurred at a local ice house.

ETA... Just read the response and agree with the restaurant choice comment.

[TurtleDove]

I agree with the PPs that this not problematic in my view.  Showing up drunk would be, but that is not at all what happened.

[miranova]

It would not even occur to me to blink an eye at someone having a drink with dinner.  It's Applebees, not IHOP.  Having a drink is common there and nobody got trashed.  Big deal. 

[perpetua]

Nothing wrong with that at all.

Making a giant assumption here, but I wonder if the LW is the kind of person who can not hold a drink, and is therefore judging everyone else by his/her own physical capability to process alcohol ("They've had one drink so they must be tipsy!")

I, for example, can't hold a drink to save my life, so I personally wouldn't have a drink before a school meeting for my imaginary kids because I know jolly well that I'm quite significantly tipsy after one glass of wine, but that doesn't mean it affects everyone else the same way.

[CookieChica]

Judging them for a drink or two with dinner is ridiculous. Judging them for eating at Applebee's would be fine.

(I kid, I kid! Our Applebee's is terrible but I know other locations are fine.)

[lowspark]

I agree. A glass of wine with dinner is fine.

I pretty much agree with everything in Emotional Hardbody's reply. Especially the comment about Applebee's. Yuk!

[Virg]

These people weren't drinking at the meeting or at the school, and they were all legal to drink alcohol.  I see this exactly the same as someone who went to dinner, got a cocktail, and then traveled to the school meeting not in the LW's company.  I don't see a problem here, other than the LW's odd response to adults having a drink with dinner.

Virg