Amber Arelleno writes editorials and columns for The Detroit News. She’s also a keen observer of school reform in Detroit. Although you couldn’t hope to make up this crazy episode from the other day, it actually gets more fantastic yesterday. In a guest post from Detroit, here’s Amber:
Hankie as Detroit’s new campaign symbol?
Former Detroit Public Schools President Otis Mathis is still complaining he wants his job back, after resigning last week amidst revelations of the now-infamous “handkerchief incident.” The district’s superintendent, Teresa Gueyser, alleges Mathis masturbated during an one-on-one business meeting with her last week, using a handkerchief.
Mathis doesn’t deny he did the dirty deed — and he may have provided school board opponents with a memorable campaign symbol.
At a civil rights luncheon on Thursday, a community leader walked up and pulled out a white handkerchief.
Waving it, he said, “I’m going to make sure people in this town don’t forget Mathis by November,” when Detroiters are slated to vote on mayoral control of the schools.
–Amber Arelleno