Patrick Watson (Photos: Bloomfield Hills Schools)
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - The superintendent of Bloomfield Hills Schools announced his retirement this week, in the midst of controversy spurred by a guest speaker earlier this year.
Patrick Watson will retire on July 31. Watson has worked in public education for 29 years. He has been superintendent for about 3 ½ years after serving as an assistant principal and principal at West Bloomfield High School.
"After careful consideration, I have decided to retire for personal reasons and to spend more time with my family," Watson wrote in a letter to the school community Tuesday.
The news comes as the school is dealing with reactions to a speech given at a diversity assembly.
Previously, the district announced that Bloomfield Hills High School principal Lawrence Stroughter was on leave.
It all started after comments made by a speaker at an assembly that some are calling anti-Semitic.
"Nobody can enter or exit Gaza without permission of the Israeli military. Not even the United Nations, not even a Palestinian needing urgent life-saving medical treatment," Huwaida Araff said in the speech.
Araff, one of several diversity speakers of various backgrounds for the school's program, told FOX 2 her comments were focused on the state of Israel and not the Jewish people themselves. She said she is married to a Jewish man.
However, some said the comments were anti-Israel.
The district released a letter apologizing ahead of an emergency school district meeting that got tense as people shared their thoughts.
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Bloomfield Hills High School apologizes for Palestinian activist's speech to students
Huwaida Araff's remarks were critical of the Israeli government. An audience member recorded this part where she talked about the Gaza Strip.