An Ohio school board member flashed a Nazi salute and shouted ‘sieg heil’ at the board president after he refused to respond to her interruption.
Anne Zakkour – a Tipp City Schools board member who has faced controversy and calls for her ouster in the past over ‘inappropriate conduct’ – was attempting to interject on Simon Patry.
‘I will not tolerate it’
‘I’m talking, do not interrupt me, do not make any noises or else I will – I will not tolerate it,’ Patry, a local attorney, remarked.
Zakkour then made the infamous salute and said ‘sieg heil’ in an attempt to compare Patry to a Nazi.
Patry then immediately resigned and recommended his board’s vice president, Amber Drum, to replace him without any explanation.
He later said his term was ending in a few months and he wanted to spend more time with family, though he condemned Zakkour in an interview the next day.
‘I don’t know why anybody would use that, that despicable phrase and gesture,’ he said.
‘When I walked into the doors was the time I felt that it was highly likely that I would do it today or yesterday,’ he said, referencing his choice to step down.
Zakkour defended her actions.
‘Mr. Patry has been acting like a dictator on our board for years and last night I had enough of his demands of total obedience,’ Zakkour told WKEF.
‘My reaction last night was symbolic and a sarcastic gesture of submission to a board officer acting as a dictator. Enough is enough.
‘What happened yesterday was a culmination of four years of being badgered and bullied and being miss represented…’ she added.
Patry’s response to questions about his behavior was that he was surprised anyone watched the meetings, but knows if they did, ‘they’ll know that’s not true.’
Board’s decision
The remaining members of the board were split on the gesture, with Richard Mains showing frustration that Patry resigned.
Theresa Dunaway, who was accused of inappropriate behavior alongside Zakkour earlier this year, was furious no one defended Zakkour.
‘This is abusive behavior,’ she said.
‘Why did the Superintendent and two other board members sit there silently while he berated her? Nobody should be treated like this, his body language was horrible, his head in his hands, the loud sighing.
‘This had been ongoing for 4 years and she’s had enough, who could blame her?’
Zakkour and Dunaway were accused of ‘willful neglect to enforce the law and uphold their duties’ as well as ‘misfeasance and/or nonfeasance in office’ and abuse of power in the suit.
The pair refused to step down and the suit was eventually dismissed, according to the Dayton Daily News.
