The Maple Heights (Ohio) City Schools Superintendent has been temporarily suspended for inappropriately pranking his colleague during a football game in August.
The school board released video of the incident, citing it as the reason for suspending Superintendent Charles Keenan. The video appears to show Keenan pulling down the pants of School Board Vice President Michael White.
Keenan said he did not pull down White's pants maliciously. He said it was an accident and was supposed to be playful.
"If his pants would not have come off his hip, it would've just been a playful moment," said Keenan, "There was no intent to pull, there was just a tug, to try and playfully mess around with him. What I thought was going to happen was he was going to grab, and both of us were going to laugh. Clearly that wasn't a good choice to make."
The Maple Heights School Board President Pamela Crews said she felt the prank was inappropriate.
"How could this happen?" she asked. "Shock, disbelief."
She said the incident also left White upset.
"He was very shaken up, wanted to talk to the board about what was going on," said Crews.
Keenan has been suspended for 10 days without pay and was required to issue a letter of apology.
Crews said she wants to send a message to concerned parents and help students learn a lesson.
"We want parents to know that we handled the situation and we want our students to know that they also have to make right choices, and good choices, and to be able to except the consequences," Crews said.
Keenan and White reportedly had a close, friendly relationship, which has become strained since the incident.
"They do have a brotherly friendship, and we hope that they will get back to that brotherly friendship," said Crews.
Keenan said they have been working things out.
"We actually hugged the other day," said Keenan. "I want to apologize publicly, apologize to this individual, to the board."
