Syverson had to go
Monday, February 18th, 2008Regarding Kurt Meyer’s column this week in the Noblesville Daily Times on the Scott Syverson resignation. Here’s the link if you haven’t read it.
http://www.county29.net/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=48&Itemid=391
I appreciate Kurt’s sentiments. I believe in redemption. It would be very difficult for those of us who have ever sinned to go on living if we didn’t think we could redeem ourselves eventually.
However, in this case and under these circumstances a certain amount of justice has to be served. Syverson isn’t just anyone and he didn’t commit just any infraction. He is in a position of authority in a school filled with young people on the verge of reaching adulthood, who are seeking role models and learning important lessons about how life works. Among the most important lessons is the one about consequences for your actions. Far too many of our young people haven’t survived the lesson about drunken driving because they made a bad choice and the consequence was fatal. Syverson knows all this and he knew it when he took the job. I don’t blame him for trying to keep it but the school board made the right choice in refusing that option.
I don’t think Syverson’s career is over. If he’s as good as he seems he will find another job elsewhere and rebuild the career he began building here. The George Bush example is perfect: the man made huge mistakes and came back to hold the highest office in the land. Surely Syverson can find the same kind of success.
But, he can’t find it in Fishers. He has to find it elsewhere. Students should take the lesson from this that there are some violations that are just too egregious to forgive and this is one. Syverson held a position of authority given to very few and we trusted him to act appropriately. Now he must serve as an example of what happens when you violate that trust. That’s an important life’s lesson for the kids who looked up to him.
To be honest, I think the most important lesson should be taken by adults who have driven under the influence at one time or another, hoping to get home without an incident. If this episode makes them think twice about driving while intoxicated, Syverson will have done a very important public service.