Michael Hicks, either give a reason for your unsubstantiated allegation or publicly withdraw it

by David Safier

While being interviewed on Garrett Lewis' morning talk show, TUSD Board member Michael Hicks intimated Wakefield Middle School children might have been sexually abused when they attended a college course at UA. He has yet to comment on his vicious, unsubstantiated allegation. Hicks should either give some reason why he suspects the students were molested, or he should withdraw his statement and publicly apologize to the Wakefield students as well as the UA students and faculty members who were present at the time.

There is absolutely no basis for Hicks' allegation. He was at UA while some Wakefield Middle School students who were suspended that day were talking with the press. Then they attended a Mexican American Studies class at the university, but the press was not allowed in the classroom.

Here is how Hicks portrayed the events on the radio show.

Hicks said he walked in during the "press conference." After it was over, the TUSD students were taken "behind closed doors" by "adult, college age students . . . to be taught or to get educated or to be — I don't know."

After an interruption by Lewis, Hicks continued:

"For me, I'm like, you know what? You know, Penn State? You know, what's going on behind these closed doors with our children? Children! I mean these are, these are not adults yet, these were Wakefield [Middle School] children . . . I'm like going, this is not [confusing: indicative?] of a university, the University of Arizona statute to bring these people in, these young children in."

There are few more serious allegations you can hurl at an adult than sexually abusing a child,which is what Hicks impled with his Penn State reference and his repetition of the idea that college students — Adults! — took these TUSD students — Children! — behind closed doors. In fact, the door he referred to was the door of a classroom where a prof and a group of students were conducting class. Abie Morales posted video from the events on Three Sonorans.

I could make a similarly unsubstantiated, equally unfair allegation about Michael Hicks, or about anyone for that matter. I could note that every day, Hicks goes into a bathroom and locks the door behind him so no one can get in. "What's going on behind that closed door?" I could ask. "I don't know. Needles? Heroin? You know, what's going on in there when no one is around to see what he's doing?"

If Hicks can explain how his unsubstantiated allegation makes any more sense than my ridiculous inference that he's a heroin addict simply because he goes in a bathroom daily and locks the door, he should do so. If not, it's time for him to apologize publicly to the Wakefield students as well as the UA students and faculty members who were present at the time. Whether he apologizes or not, the TUSD Board should condemn his dangerous statement, as should Superintendent Pedicone. I believe this is a serious enough breech of the trust inherent in Hicks' position as a Board member that he should be asked to resign.