Thirteen graduating seniors didn't collect their diplomas at Newbury Park High School during commencement last week because they drank a toast of champagne before the senior prom and they were caught. One senior at Thousand Oaks High School faced the same predicament.

After buses unloaded NPHS promgoers on June 5 at Skirball Center, the smell of marijuana was detected on one. A closer search of the bus revealed an empty bottle of champagne. The riders of that bus were given Breathalyzer tests that indicated 14 of them had consumed alcohol.

They paid for it with suspensions, so they also didn't get to participate in their graduation ceremonies.

Administrators enforced the school district's zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs despite the apparent pleas of parents.

Worse, it may have been somebody's parent who provided the champagne. If that's true, the perpetrator should be cited for providing alcohol and contributing to the delinquency of minors.

The principal and school district did the only thing that could be done. The policy had to be enforced, and it was.

Zero tolerance means exactly what it says.

There can be no exceptions.

Sometimes parents ignore the law and overestimate the maturity of young people who are graduating from high school.

In the past, some parents not only looked the other way regarding alcohol and kids, some of them even provided it.

A peace officer at Lost Hills Sheriff's Station in L.A. County tipped the Acorn about it several years ago. Police would know about huge parties because of cars parked bumper to bumper on nearby streets. Using a helicopter, cops would observe huge numbers of obviously underage teenagers partying with a keg of beer or pouring drinks from an outdoor wet bar.

The police officer said it happened every year when high school graduations approached.

The problem was so prevalent that nearby cities in L.A. County passed ordinances calling for stiff fines for anyone who hosts parties that serve alcohol to minors. The city of Thousand Oaks has passed a similar "social host" ordinance.

Drinking alcohol is illegal until age 21. There are no exceptions- - and that includes graduating from high school.