Time to go: Detroit school board president urged to honor resignation after alleged masturbation
Otis Mathis resigned Thursday as president of the Detroit Board of Education amid allegations he masturbated in front of superintendent Teresa Gueyser during a routine meeting.
One day later, Mathis attempted to rescind that resignation, blaming ongoing health problems for his "poor judgment."
The story proved another national embarrassment for a school district hoping to resurrect its image and another blow to the reputation of the board, which remains in an ongoing academic power struggle with state-appointed Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb.
Gueyser accused Mathis of the outrageous (and repeated) behavior in a letter last week to school board Vice President Anthony Adams, who later released the letter to the media.
June 18, Fox 2: On this day, President Mathis continued to fondle his genital area for approximately 20 minutes, or the entire time I was talking. At one point, I lifted some papers from my binder above my eyes to separate my peripheral view in order to avoid watching his activity. He then unzipped his pants and pulled a handkerchief from his left pocket, put the handkerchief in his right and and put his right hand with the handkerchief in the zipper area of his pants appearing to wipe himself. he then re-zipped and unzipped his pants again; again placing the handkerchief inside the zipper area; this time moving his hands as if to be masturbating in front of me.
While Mathis believes he deserves another chance, both of Detroit's daily newspapers today published harsh editorials criticizing both Mathis and fellow members who elected him to lead the board.
The Free Press editorial board pointed out that most board members have ignored Mathis' request to retract his resignation, but blamed them for electing him president in the first place and suggested the scandal further proves they've effectively lost their battle with Bobb.
June 22, Freep.com: The bad news is that the board majority that elected Mathis president earlier this year is still in place, and at least one of their number, the Reverend David Murray, has dismissed Mathis' over-the-top transgressions as a function of either the ex-board president's youth (Mathis is 55) or his naivete. ("Maybe he didn't know," Murray suggested Friday after Gueyser's accusations became public, "it was offensive to her.")
...Any lingering doubt that Detroit school children are better served by Bobb's continuing stewardship should vanish in the wake of the board's latest debacle.
The Detroit News took a softer stance, arguing Mathis should honor his resignation "for the children's sake," while renewing the call for mayoral control over the district.
But columnist Laura Berman, who previously reported Mathis has a learning disability and is unable to write a coherent sentence, took aim at the "school board of low expectations."
June 22, DetNews.com: In retrospect, the rise of Otis Mathis to that leadership role says as much about the current Detroit Board of Education as it does about Mathis.
This is the body that unanimously elected Mathis over Tyrone Winfrey, a board member who is an academic officer at the University of Michigan.
Mathis has succeeded over the years by never admitting defeat when he failed. Unable to meet academic requirements, he found ways around them.
...Maybe he felt compelled to test how low expectations might really go.
Mathis emptied his office and turned in his key last week. While it's highly unlikely he'll return to the board, his attempt indicates he's not ready to move on, even if the city needs him to.
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/06/time_to_go_detroit_school_boar.html
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