DUI allegation to test state schools superintendent

At the very least, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn has some explaining to do.

After his arrest early Sunday for alleged drunken driving, Dorn said he hopes the public understands it's a private, legal matter that he can't yet discuss.

But when he can — and if he's convicted — some say his political survival will depend a great deal on what he says, and how he says it.

"If he's guilty, he will have to deal with it quickly, address it honestly and be contrite, not just for a day or a month but for the rest of his career," said Todd Myers, a Republican political consultant.

Few details are known about what happened about 1:30 a.m. Sunday when a police officer in the Pierce County town of Orting pulled Dorn over. In a prepared statement, Dorn said he was driving home with his family from a community event, where he drank beer with dinner. He was stopped near Orting High, the kind of small-town school where he started his teaching career decades ago.

According to State Patrol records, Dorn took two breath tests around 3 a.m. showing a blood-alcohol level of 0.11, above the 0.08 legal limit.

Orting Police Chief Bill Drake wouldn't even say that much Tuesday. Drake verified that Dorn was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and speeding, taken to the police station and released. But he refused to give any more details until the city's prosecutor, Aaron Walls, decides whether to file charges.

The news prompted a range of reactions, with some saying that if Dorn is guilty, he needs to resign, and others hoping that he will be judged more on how he does his job than on one personal failing.

Washington court records indicate that Dorn has never been charged with a crime.

On Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Chris Gregoire called the arrest a "very unfortunate circumstance."

"My heart goes out to him," she said, "and thank goodness, nothing happened."

When asked whether it could imperil his ability to do his job, Gregoire said: "I leave that up to him."

Many in the state's education community declined to comment.

Dorn, 56, is a former teacher, principal, state lawmaker, motivational speaker and union official. He was elected as the state's top school official in 2008, campaigning to replace the Washington Assessment of Student Learning — WASL — with shorter state exams that would provide better information to teachers.

Some doubted how effective Dorn would be in office, and he made some early missteps.

But others say they've been pleasantly surprised at how he's done since then, saying he's been a stronger, more effective leader than they would have guessed on issues such as education funding and early childhood education.

"So far, he's outperformed his reputation," said Blair Butterworth, a Democratic political consultant.

If Dorn is guilty, however, Butterworth says his credibility will be significantly damaged. And he thinks that Dorn, as the state's top education official, must be held to a higher standard than other public officials because he sets an example for the state's youth.

"It may not be fair, and it may not be right, but that's reality," Butterworth said.

But others say they think Dorn could survive a conviction, depending on the circumstances and how he handles it.

"So long as he was not engaging in overly reckless behavior and was contrite with the officers involved ... it is the kind of thing that traditionally, elected officials have been able to move on and make amends," said Christian Sinderman, a Democratic political consultant.

"The devil is always in the details with issues like this, and time will tell."

Information in this story, published Mar. 23, was corrected Mar. 24. The statements from Orting Police Chief Bill Drake and Gov. Chris Gregoire came Tuesday. A previous version of this story said the statements were made Monday.