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MISHAWAKA, Ind. — A Penn High School teacher took to the podium during the Penn Harris Madison School Board meeting on Monday night to demand accountability from School Board Member Matt Chaffee who has been credibly accused of buying prostitutes, abusing drugs and alcohol and being part of an illicit gambling operation. Teacher Dan Schaetzle spent three minutes pointing out the hypocrisy of Chaffee’s unwillingness to address the issues while students in his school are held to higher standards of behavior.
“During a class time online assembly (one of the assistant principals) referred to page 30 of the student handbook.” Schaetzle, who also serves as a member of the St. Joseph County Council, started his speech by stating before reading a portion of the code of conduct. “‘Students who are suspected of using substances against school policy and refusing to take a breathalyzer test are considered to admitted guilt.’ That’s our policy for 14-year-olds. In this venue five months ago a member of this board who is a junior in age and experience, gave this board a lecture on leadership. He said leaders admit their errors, they embrace solutions, they are transparent. A month later, REAL News Michiana reported allegations that this board member has issues with alcohol and drug abuse, prostitution and later other things such as gambling. The evidence that REAL News Michiana presented, the alleged evidence, was from two people very close to this person. This person chose not to admit their errors or to even address if there was an error, embrace solutions or be transparent, but rather lawyered up.”
“True leaders admit their errors.” Schaetzle continued. “I believe this board member failed by not doing that. But, I want to let this board member know it is not too late. You all are examples to young people. What you do matters. And I think it would be best for this board member to either come out and say ‘no, those allegations are false — the sources were wrong — they’re false’ or ‘those allegations are true — I am going to own that — and here is how I am going to make it better — here is how I am going to solve this problem — I am going to be an example to the young people of this community and I am going to fix this problem — I am going to be transparent and I am going to show you how an adult will handle this situation.'”
Earlier this year, RNM published several investigative pieces outlining Chaffee’s proclivity for paying prostitutes for sex and his alleged involvement in an illicit gambling operation in which he is accused of selling information about and access to the IU Men’s Basketball team while he was employed by the IU athletic department several years ago.
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To Dan’s greater point… Imagine a world where more is expected out of children, than what is expected out of the adults who are in charge of their well-being. How is his behavior acceptable?
To Matt’s point… Yes, you did make a statement. You literally made a statement, saying that you won’t make a statement. Unfortunately, your “statement” about not making a statement doesn’t mean anything to anyone with an IQ above room temperature.