Dr. McIntyre’s Legacy of Leadership Begins TODAY!

Eight members of the Austin East High School football team have been arrested for shoplifting. The quotes from the Head Coach at Austin East are that this is not a school issue. That he has talked with the high school administration and the parents. What? You have got to be kidding me.

No word yet from Dr. Jim McIntyre or the Knox County Schools Central Office. From everything we have seen of Dr. McIntyre he is a stand up, take responsibility for your actions, we will correct the problem.

I believe in the end this incident and McIntyre’s handling of it will be the defining moment for his legacy of leadership with Knox County Schools. When athletes at any other Knox County high school have gotten into trouble in the past the coaches of those teams have suspended them.

When athletes have gotten into trouble at the University of Tennessee for off campus incidents there are penalties for their actions.

These students at Austin East have brought disgrace and dishonor to not only Austin East but to every Knox County public education student as a whole. They MUST be suspended from playing football for the remainder of this year. To allow them to play sends a message to EVERY student of public education in Knox County that the school district condones the behavior of violating the rules, the laws and at the end of the day that “Character Didn’t Count.”

A win on Friday night with players that have been arrested will forever taint the win and will send an unfavorable message about public education in Knox County. Monetary contributions to Knox County School PTA’s, Foundations and the like will likely suffer because of the school systems inaction.

The correct measure of disciplinary actions of Knox County today can prevent a similar incident from happening to these student athletes when they are in College. Dr. McIntyre needs to heed the advice of Barney Fife “Nip it, Nip it, Nip it in the bud.”

Help send the RIGHT message. Contact Dr. McIntyre by phone at 865-594-1620 or email and encourage him to make this HIS stand for establishing his Legacy of Leadership by forcing the players to be suspended for the rest of the year. After doing so call Austin East High School 865-594-3792 and ask for the Athletic Director or Principal and voice your views.

Here is the News Sentinel’s story.