PLUNGING INTO POLITICS

While most high school seniors are counting down the days until graduation in June, Park Tudor senior Cyrus Hayat anxiously awaits November. For on Nov. 7, the 18-year-old will make his political debut as the Libertarian Party's candidate for the Wayne Township Advisory Board.

Hayat's ambitions for political office began with Andrew Horning's mayoral candidacy.

"I took a government class this year (at) our school, and we were required to work the polls or help out. I didn't want to work with the Republican or Democratic parties, so I ended up helping out the Libertarian Party and became involved with them a lot," he said.

While most teen-agers (and adults) relate to either the Democratic or Republican party, Hayat associated himself with this third party.

"I just didn't see either of them going anywhere, and I didn't like what they were doing," Hayat said of the major parties. "They just seemed to be throwing mud at each other and not really progressing, and I felt that Andrew Horning was doing a great job of bringing the real issues up and not just throwing mud."

Hayat worked door to door for Horning, distributed information sheets and put up yard signs.

But it was Horning's manner that most impressed him.

"He's a very kind person, and he went about the campaign with a positive attitude," he said.

Hayat also relates to the Libertarian Party's philosophy.

"We agree with the Republicans economically; we're for privatization," Hayat explained. "But yet, socially, the Republicans are very conservative, and Libertarians feel more like the Democrats, where people should have freedom at home, freedom in their bedroom and to live their life the way they choose.

"So it's like taking the best or the worst of both, depending on how you look at it.''

Hayat explained what separates him from other candidates.

"It will be hard to convince those who are really hard-core Republicans or Democrats to vote for an 18-year-old third-party candidate," he said. "I'm just looking for those constituents who are fed up with the two-party system. I'm fresh. I'm new.

"I believe that, truly, I want what's best for the township."

The Wayne Township Advisory Board advises the Wayne Township trustee on financial matters. Hayat's goals include cleaning up the Westside township and making its taxpayers happy.

"We could get volunteers on the weekends," he said, "Maybe one weekend we would get a bunch of kids and clean up a polluted area or store that's been abandoned, or just do little things like projects with nursing homes," he said.

In addition, he would work "to get a budget that the taxpayers won't be complaining about. . . . Libertarians are very opposed to unnecessary taxes."

One area in which he would love to make an impact is education, which is not under the adviser's control. As a former Northwest High School student, he would like to see conditions improve for public school students.

"It's just that there's no air conditioning in a lot of the schools, especially IPS," Hayat said. "The teachers are great; they are no less qualified. (But) there's no air conditioning (and) limited access to computers in public schools, and the students just don't have the motivation to learn like they do in a private, relaxing atmosphere."

Hayat agrees with the Libertarian philosophy that schools should operate independent of governmental control.

He believes parents should control their children's educations.

"I believe that government needs to step out of it and let the parents become more involved. When the parents are involved, and when teachers and the parents have the relationship, it works," Hayat said.

He doesn't apologize for attending a school outside his township's borders.

"I've lived in the township for four years now, so just because I've gone elsewhere for school doesn't make me less qualified or connected," he said.

"Park Tudor is a college preparatory school, and I'm looking forward to going to college. I just felt that Park Tudor would be my best chance."

Hayat is planning a low-budget campaign, doing the things he did for Horning for himself this time. While the Democrats are undecided about fielding a candidate, the incumbent, a Republican, will be seeking re-election.

At the very least, Hayat wants to be taken seriously by the incumbent.

"If I make him campaign, I'll consider that a victory. Just the thought of him having to campaign would show that the Libertarian Party is a big enough threat that he has to at least consider campaigning," he said.

Hayat is hoping to go to Wabash College in the fall and said he could easily commute to Indianapolis to fulfill his official duties, if elected.

If not, he still sees public service in his future.

"I would like to run again sometime, but I (also) want to be teaching history and coaching football and chess," he said.

"Maybe I will end up teaching in an IPS school or in my own township school, like Ben Davis High School."

For more information, the Libertarian Web site is www. angelfire.com/in2/Libertarian.

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Katie Beyer, 18.

REPORTERS: Dana Campbell, 14, and Stephanie Smith, 12.