Judge to students: There's no excuse for dishonesty

DANVILLE – As a Vermilion County Circuit Court judge, Craig DeArmond said he has heard almost every excuse.

I didn't do it.

It wasn't my fault.

Someone else made me do it.

"That's what I run into ... every day," DeArmond told South View Middle School seventh- and eighth-graders. "But it doesn't take long to figure out who's lying. ... And as soon as we figure out that someone's not telling the truth, it's hard to ever believe them again. They've lost their credibility.

"The sad thing is whether you realize it or not, the character trait of honesty supersedes everything else," he said.

"If you're dishonest, it doesn't matter how nice you are, because no one's going to trust you."

DeArmond spoke to the students as part of Character Counts. The character-educational program teaches kids about the "Six Pillars of Character": trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

Trustworthiness centers on being honest, being reliable, having the courage to do the right thing, building a good reputation and being loyal.

DeArmond cautioned students that if they're dishonest, they don't have to worry about friends.

"Once you lie to your friends, they won't forget that. They may not confront you about it, but you've lost their respect, and you've lost their friendship. Once you can't be trusted, once you can't be believed, you'll never get that back."

DeArmond said that dishonest people also come up with excuses as to why they didn't do their homework, flunked out of school, committed a crime and landed in court and then prison.

"I'm always amazed that when they wind up in court, they're mad at me," he said. "I say, 'Wait, I didn't break into that building. You made that choice, and you have to accept that.'"

DeArmond told the students that some people may try to use as an excuse a challenge in their life – challenges that many of them face.

"Some of you come from broken homes; some of you have never met your father; some of you have parents who are involved in drugs and alcohol; some of you have been molested ... or bullied," he said. "Honesty is realizing that isn't your fault and working to overcome that."

As a child, DeArmond said, he had polio and had to wear braces on his legs. Doctors told his parents he would never run or jump or participate in athletics like other kids.

But, DeArmond recalled, his father wouldn't accept that or let his son accept it either.

"He told me I would do those things, and I believed that," DeArmond said.

With the help of an artificial knee and through his determination, he went on to play sports in high school and college, and he runs marathons and participates in adventure races today.

"I didn't blame anyone that I was a cripple and had to walk in braces," DeArmond said. "I didn't blame anyone I was molested for years. I had to realize my limitations ... but that they didn't have to stand in the way of me being somebody. If you're honest with yourself, you can overcome any challenges that you're faced with.

"Don't let anyone stand in your way. Don't let anyone tell you can't because you can."

Principal Brenda Yoho said she first heard DeArmond's story eight years ago and invited him to South View to inspire her students.

"The reason he's sharing his story is not so that you'll feel sorry for him," she said. "He tells you ... so you know you're not alone. You are somebody, and you can achieve."

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