NORTHVILLE (WXYZ) — The Northville Public School Board voted Tuesday to remove Matthew Wilk from his position as president after he made comments downplaying COVID-19.
RELATED: Debate continues in Northville after school board president's Facebook posts
One post Wilk made, which has since been removed, suggested coronavirus "only exists in falsified statistics shouted on the news without context."
Another post said, “How about we allow schools to reopen and grandma can take the extreme precautions? She can wear a spacesuit when she 'needs' to go out and shop and the rest of the world can go on about their lives...”
After two days of heated public comment which began Monday, the board voted to censure Wilk and remove him from his position as president.
This also comes after a petition for his resignation garnered more than 4,000 signatures.
Wilk released this statement to 7 Action News Tuesday evening:
I probably should have followed my kids’ own rules to on the internet: everything you say will be twisted, misconstrued and taken out of context. It’s just the way things are in 2020. I’ve been the staunchest proponent of getting our kids back in school in the fall. Even the Governor thinks it can be done safely. I think the offense really ought to be directed at the ideas, not the messenger. I thank the hundreds of parents who sent me messages of support.