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Acting Principal Takes Helm After Principal's DUI Charges

Assistant Principal Addresses Student Concerns

POSTED: 7:22 am EST January 8, 2008
UPDATED: 12:41 pm EST January 8, 2008

Fishers High School students headed back to class Tuesday morning with a new leader at the helm, at least temporarily, after Principal Scott Syverson was suspended with pay following DUI charges.

Life lessons were the focus of talks between students and assistant Principal Jason Urban, who assumed the helm at the school after Syverson's suspension.

Urban declined to talk with 6News Tuesday, instead speaking with the student body about where things stand with Syverson, 6News' Julie Pursley reported

School officials said the school's first-period teacher talked with students about the situation and allowed students to ask questions.

Video from the Dec. 22 traffic stop that led to the two DUI counts was shown on television nationwide and was posted on YouTube.

Syverson failed several field sobriety tests before an officer took him home instead of to jail, igniting controversy that persisted for several weeks following the ordeal.

Urban talked with each grade level about the incident. He said Monday that he is also in frequent contact with Syverson.

"I know how passionate he is about kids and especially this school," Urban said. "Knowing him as well as I do, it's got to be tearing him up."

Urban's message attempted to show students how alcohol can affect a person's life.

Students 6News talked with Tuesday have a mixed reaction to their principal's dilemma.

"I do think it's kind of a bad ... position he put our school in," said Trevor Collins.

"Just seeing how they handle it … as an adult, and just learn from bad mistakes," said student Heather Sterling.

The school board will meet Feb. 7 to decide if Syverson will keep his job. He could request a special hearing before that date.

If convicted, Syverson could face more than a year in jail and up to $5,500 in fines.


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