Board Wants Member Expelled
Pr. George's Panel Alleges Immorality

By Nelson Hernandez
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 10, 2007

The Prince George's County Board of Education moved to expel one of its members for "immorality and misconduct" yesterday, the day after he was arrested and charged with having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy he once taught.

The action was followed by the release of an independent investigative report documenting a relationship that board member Nathaniel B. Thomas had with an 18-year-old senior at Forestville High School and the board's student member that "far exceeded the appropriate boundaries." The report said Thomas, 26, took the 18-year-old to a conference in San Francisco last month without his parents' permission.

The investigation, ordered by the school board after the trip, said Thomas played sexually suggestive games with the two young men, served them alcohol and took measures to keep the trip a secret.

"Even though no sexual contact apparently occurred between Mr. Thomas and Student #1 or the Student Board Member, his behavior shows a moral blindness toward his role as a member of the Board of Education, a former teacher, and an older adult," said the report, written by Timothy F. Maloney, an independent counsel the school board hired.

The report said Thomas had been the subject of two complaints about his conduct toward students while he was a teacher at Forestville Military Academy from 2003 to 2004. Eric T. Lyles, the former principal of the school, told investigators that parents and the families of two male students complained that Thomas had made inappropriate jokes, hand gestures and frequent references to homosexuality. Thomas denied being the subject of such complaints.

There were no allegations of physical contact between Thomas and any of his students, the report said.

Stephen Williams, an attorney for Thomas, protested the release of the report without giving his client a chance to review it first, calling it "vicious, retaliatory and unprecedented" in a letter to the board.

Thomas's attorneys have declined to discuss the sex offense charge. In an interview April 22, his last public comment on the case, Thomas denied wrongdoing in the case involving the 18-year-old, saying, "I didn't do anything inappropriate." He has not resigned from office.

The board's unanimous vote, taken after a nearly four-hour closed meeting yesterday morning, recommended that the Maryland State Board of Education remove Thomas from office. The move must also be approved by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).

If Thomas is expelled, it would be rare. State officials could not remember a county school board member being removed for immorality.

Board Vice Chairman Verjeana M. Jacobs said that she was "saddened and angered" by the report and that she trusted its findings.

Once a rising political star, Thomas faces a third-degree sex offense charge accusing him of committing sexual acts at least three times in 2005 with a 15-year-old boy he had once taught at Forestville Military Academy. Charging documents accuse him of allowing the student, now 17, to watch pornographic videos. If convicted, Thomas could face up to 10 years in prison.

Thomas took a seat on the school board six months ago, after being supported by most Democratic politicians for the countywide seat.

The report details three episodes in which Thomas's conduct was questioned. The first involved the comments at Forestville Academy. Although the principal strongly counseled Thomas, no further disciplinary action was taken and neither incident was documented in his personnel file, according to the report. Thomas resigned his position Dec. 23, 2004, said John White, a spokesman for the county school system. The reason given was Thomas's intention to pursue government service, White said. Lyles did not return a phone call requesting comment.

The report said Thomas taught the 18-year-old in U.S. government class, while the boy was a freshman. After resigning his position, Thomas did not meet the student again until last December, the report said, and the investigation revealed no evidence of improper conduct between them while Thomas was a teacher.

Meeting again through the student board member, who already had a close relationship with Thomas, the three began spending time together at restaurants and Thomas's home in February, according to the report. According to the report, the 18-year-old said he became intoxicated several times when Thomas served him alcohol at his home. The report said the student claimed that Thomas would play games of "truth or dare" in which he would dare the two students to take their shirts off or, in one instance, suck their toes. The students said they refused the dares.

The report said Thomas admitted to playing such games but denied the dares described by the student and denied serving them alcohol.

"I really see myself as like their big brother," the report said Thomas told investigators. "I am only eight years older than them." Of the 18-year-old student, he said, "he needs a lot of mentoring. He does not have a lot of direction," according to the report.

The report detailed Thomas's trip to the National School Boards Association conference in San Francisco. According to the report, Thomas made arrangements to travel separately and stay in a different hotel than other school board members. The report said the 18-year-old did not have permission from his father to take the trip.

Both Thomas and the student told investigators there was never any physical contact between them, the report said.

The investigation also revealed Thomas's alleged relationship with the Forestville Academy student. Evidence from the board's investigation was turned over to police, who issued a warrant for Thomas's arrest Friday.