Citing evidence that students were drinking at last Friday's homecoming game, the Edina School District on Thursday instituted new rules for students attending football games.

The rules — the district calls them "safety procedures" — will take effect Friday night when the Edina Hornets host Eden Prairie's football team at Kuhlman Stadium.

The new regulations:

• Students will not be allowed to bring liquids "of any kind" into the stadium.

• Students will not be allowed to bring backpacks into the stadium.

• The school will increase its security presence in the student section during football games.

In a letter to parents, the district said that during a walk-through of the student section after the homecoming game, "we found empty beer cans and liquor-tainted plastic bottles brought into the stadium."

"Not only is this behavior concerning, but it is a violation of school policy and against the law," the district said. " ... Student safety is a priority for our school and community, and we hope to receive cooperation from students and parents as these new safety procedures are implemented."

PAMELA MILLER