Mt. Lebanon school director who used profanity during virtual meeting resigns

A Mt. Lebanon school director who uttered profanities during a virtual school board meeting broadcast to the public has resigned, the school board president announced Monday night.

Michael Riemer, who was absent from Monday’s school board meeting, used the vulgarities prior to the official start of the Sept. 14 board meeting, held on Zoom. He was unaware that his microphone was on.

Claire Guth, a parent with three children in the district who mounted a petition drive calling for Riemer to step down, described his words as “one of the most offensive things a person could say to a woman.”

“The words he used were so offensive that they had to cut it from the beginning of the video of the meeting and the board president felt the need to issue an apology,” she said.

Guth’s change.org petition gathered more than 320 signatures in five days.

“This is an unfortunate situation,” Guth said following the announcement that Riemer resigned. “But we applaud Mr. Riemer’s decision to step down from the Mt. Lebanon School Board in light of the hurtful and derogatory language against women used at last week’s meeting.”

Riemer initially apologized for what he called a “hot mic” and said he was “going through some things with his family.”

Later in the Sept. 14 meeting, Riemer issued a more detailed apology.

“I deeply do want to apologize for what occurred,” he said. “It was absolutely inappropriate language that I used this evening,” he said. “There is no excuse for this egregious lapse of judgment. I’m sorry it went out. I deeply and sincerely apologize to our families, community, district staff and my fellow board members for this behavior.”

School board president Sarah Olbrich said she, too, was sorry for the words Riemer uttered.

“To the community, I apologize for the behavior of Mr. Riemer tonight (Sept. 14),” Olbrich said. “His language was unacceptable and unbecoming his position. It will not happen again.”

Board member Elaine Cappucci blasted Riemer for his conduct during that meeting.

“Whether that language was directed at the school community or, as he said, his family, either way, it’s offensive,” she said. “This is particularly difficult for me as a female to hear words that were used from someone who may be voting on issues dealing with sexual harassment.”

Cappucci noted that the board discussed a policy related to Title IX that night, the federal protection from discrimination based on sex in education programs that receive federal funding.

Riemer did not respond to a request for comment.

Despite the apology, the board made a motion on Sept. 14 to censure Riemer at the Sept. 21 meeting.

Guth said she started the petition because it is so difficult to force the removal of an elected official.

A censure is a public statement of disapproval but carries no formal punishment.

“What Mr. Riemer said begs for more definitive action,” she said, before the Monday night meeting. “I’m really pleased that they are censuring him. It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough.

“Mt. Lebanon prides itself on being an inclusive community,” she said. “One that strives itself on advancing racial and gender equality and Mr. Riemer’s behavior does not align with what is expected from an elected official or our beliefs.”

Riemer, who was in his second term on the board, is a retired police officer and worked as a school resource officer for the district between 2006 and 2011, according to a profile on the Mt. Lebanon Democratic Committee’s webpage.