Tuesday, December 14, 2010

IndyStar Reports on Stinson Arrest, Recent Penalties To Others

IndyStar reporter, Vic Ryckaert, reported on the weekend arrest of Decatur Schools Superintendent, Don Stinson, in today's paper. Of particular interest was Ryckaert's addition of a list of punishments meted out to other educators for the same offence. He reports:

-- Former Fall Creek Valley Middle School Principal James C. Joiner was arrested twice in 2008 on drunken-driving charges. He resigned and was sentenced to a year on probation.

-- Martinsville Schools Superintendent Ron Furniss was arrested and charged with drunken driving in March 2009 after visiting several Central Indiana restaurants and clubs. Furniss was suspended as superintendent and given other penalties. He was barred from using a district vehicle for 60 days and was ordered to enter an alcohol treatment program at his own expense and submit to random drug and alcohol testing.

-- Carmel Middle School Principal Denise Jacobs was arrested on a drunken-driving charge in January 2009 after a Fishers police officer saw her car weaving on the road. She was suspended without pay for a week and later voluntarily stepped down as principal. Jacobs pleaded guilty and received a $400 fine, had her license suspended for 90 days and received one year's probation.

-- Fishers High School Principal Scott Syverson was stopped by police in December 2007 after attending a party at the home of then-Hamilton Southeastern High School Principal Concetta Raimondi. Syverson was charged with drunken driving a few weeks later, and he resigned as principal in February 2008.

Ryckaert notes that Stinson has not been suspended. He also recaps Stinson's changing story from the arresting officer's report:
Stinson smelled of alcohol and initially told the officer he was returning from a Walmart and had consumed a beer. Later he admitted drinking two glasses of wine at one tavern and two more beers at another, the report said.
The Decatur School Board meets at 5:30 pm tonight in Executive Session, which they always schedule. The agenda was created on December 9, before Stinson's arrest. The Board could take this opportunity to actually use an executive session for the legally allowed purpose mentioned in the notice, and discuss Stinson's suspension without pay or his removal. The Regular Meeting of the Board follows at 7:00 pm.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rumor has it that Susan Adams will be appointed interim Superintendant at tonight’s meeting....stay tuned details to follow!

Anonymous said...

If she gets it, Diamond Don will never get it back. She knows where all the dirt is on him. Trouble is, he knows where all the dirt is on her. This ought to be interesting! One supposes that the board's catered-in dinner before tonight's executive meeting will be a B.Y.O.B. this time.

Anonymous said...

I'd rather have "Drunk Diamond" Don than Susan "Shake'em Down" Adams.

Anonymous said...

I second the opinion of Anon 9:25 - rather have Stinson than Adams...

Anonymous said...

Stinson told the Channel 6 reporter that he (Stinson) does not have a "drinking problem." Guess that eliminates drug rehabilitation since he would have to first admit that he has a drinking problem. Don't know if he has a drinking problem but would guess that there are MANY who would have to testify to seeing him very, very high on many occasions for many years. The board will not have to continue to pay out his contract after he is convicted of this crime.

Anonymous said...

Actually,Stinson's drivers license is now suspended. He cannot legally drive at this moment. The board should suspend his $12,000 per year driving allowance immediately.

Anonymous said...

Okay. I have a question. What has the decatur school board done in the past with employees who embarass the twp with a drinking problem? Were they made to resign or did they get fired?

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:46: What has this board done to any administrator but give them money and perks? This board will do nothing to Stinson because they are a joke. I mean; we have one board member that hires his kid as football coach. With salary and coaching salary this 20-something kid is making over 70K a year. Then we have the board member that has a contracting company and makes money doing work on the multi million dollar football field. He also makes a drunken fool of himself running around on the football field tooting a train horn while drunk. Then we have a board member that can't decide which tax payer fund to get paid from; he doesn't know if he's a fire chief or school board member. Then we have another board member that hires her kids in the school system and has a softball field named after her husband. Last but not least we have the board member that raises YOUR taxes but can't pay hers and loses her house. Oh and don't forget her husband gets hired in the school system and is magically moved up the pay scale. She doesn't even live in the township! See where I'm going with this? Honestly have you ever heard of such nepotism?

Now. I ask you. Answer your own question. What's this board going to do? NOTHING. Why ruin a good thing?

NOTICE TO DECATUR RESIDENTS: REMEMBER THIS IN 2012! TWO OF THESE CROOKS ARE UP FOR REELECTION! VOTE THEM OUT!

Anonymous said...

Decatur had a football coach and a grade school principal and others who lost their jobs due to a drinking problem. Why is Stinson any different from those people?

Anonymous said...

@ Anon December 14, 2010 5:16 PM


Punishment for bad behavior within this school system has always been arbitrary.

Anonymous said...

Decatur's football coach did not lose his job as a result of a drinking and driving accident....he lost his coaching positon. He continued to teach in the township until he chose to retire last year. Just an fyi.

Anonymous said...

If the Board even considers making Susan Adams the Super, they are even more stupid than I thought. That woman screws up more things in a day then she actually gets accomplished. If anyone, get Doc Rather back over there from whatever it is they have him doing these days.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...If the Board even considers making Susan Adams the Super, they are even more stupid than I thought. That woman screws up more things in a day then she actually gets accomplished. If anyone, get Doc Rather back over there from whatever it is they have him doing these days. December 15, 2010 12:34 AM

I totally agree. She's an evil, vindictive woman. When she comes in a room, it's like there's dementor from Harry Potter that sucks out all the heat, joy and life.

Anonymous said...

According to Channel 6 today (Wednesday) Wiseman says suspension or dismissal is "not viable." People are afraid to speak up about so many things that have happened for years because it can get you fired and the Board will back him up even when he commits a crime.

Anonymous said...

viable ...practical, able to be done or worth doing
So the board is not able to suspend or dismiss him even when he admits to the charge of DUI? Or the board does not think it is practical or worth doing? The previous cases of school administrators in Indiana arrested for DUI were all given suspension. Decatur is going to set a new precedent. Wow!
Stinson just doesn't get it. It is not always about him or what is best for him. He thinks no one else can take his place. Well, no one else would be as arrogant.
Dr. Debbie Sullivan is more qualified than Stinson and behaves in a professional manner at all times.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:44 AM wrote:

According to Channel 6 today (Wednesday) Wiseman says suspension or dismissal is "not viable."

Oh, I'm sure it's not "viable" for her. Cathy wants her husband to be promoted from his custodial job to a maintenance job at the MSD. It's gonna be money out of her pocket if she votes to take money out of Drunken Don's with a suspension or dismissal. As ever, people are voting their pocketbooks and board members are no exception. And everyone at Central Office thinks that the rampant nepotism involving board members is harmless. Wiseman, Collins and Huffman all have relatives who are school employees. There's three out of five board members right there. Majority rules, as Tattoo says.

Anonymous said...

Drinking is evidently part of the reinvention in Decatur Township. It is also part of the administrator team culture. Will anyone come forward and say it must end immediately??