Columbia County school kids have just been taught a very bad lesson by their school board, to wit:

If you accept responsibility for making a mistake, you're making another mistake. You should cover it up, even lie about it; but whatever you do, don't own up to your mistakes, because there's no upside. You're only going to get slapped down for your honesty.

Wes Ivie, a 16-year-old Evans High School junior, model student and star football player is learning that lesson the hard way. After returning from a weekend hunting trip, he forgot to take his hunting rifle out of his car before driving to school -- an absent-minded mistake anyone could make.

At least that's what his school authorities and law-enforcers believed after he reported his mistake to the head office during a random police search of the school. No law broken; no bad intentions; no harm done. Praise the kid's honesty and move on. The rifle probably wouldn't have been spotted anyway, if Wes had kept his mouth shut.

Despite support from his classmates, school authorities and others, including the Sheriff's Department, that young Ivie had done no wrong and deserved no punishment, the school board punished him anyway. He was put on in-school suspension and then, after turning down his appeal, had him sent to alternative school for the rest of the semester.

The decision also gets him kicked off the football team, could cost him his after-school job if he loses his driver's license, and damages opportunities for his post-high school education. That's Wes' "reward" for being up front. No one could blame him if he keeps his mouth shut next time.

In a cruel bit of irony, it's school board members who are covering up now. Hiding behind legal mumbo-jumbo, they refuse to explain why, in a closed door meeting, they ignored the recommendations of everyone familiar with the rifle incident, and moved so harshly against Ivie. It's board members who should be taken to the woodshed.

The Ivie family plans another appeal, this one to the state board of education in Atlanta. Good for them. Let's hope that board teaches the right lesson.