Riverside County school board president pressured to resign after second DUI arrest
Riverside County residents are demanding a school board president resign after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI — for the second time.
"Yes, we all make mistakes and deserve second chances, but not the same mistakes over and over," said one parent during a recent meeting.
In the past, Val Verde Unified School Board President Matthew Serafin has upset the Riverside communities for often swearing during public school board meetings.
"It was dope (expletive). I loved it," Serafin said while describing a field trip in a recent meeting.
Parents have often decried his demeanor during meetings but now insist his fellow board members remove him after his second DUI arrest. In August, investigators said he hit a parked car on Redding Way in Perris while driving over the legal limit.
"You were arrested for a second DUI," one parent angrily exclaimed during a meeting. "Would you like to talk about that?"
KCAL News reached out to Serafin for comment. He has not responded.
During a recent meeting, he referred to his recent meeting as a personal private matter.
"This will not conflict with my ability to serve," said Serafin. "I am not a saint. I take responsibility and I pray daily to the creator, to my ancestors and to the sun and the moon."
He did not indicate that he intended to step down despite some of his board members calling on him.
"I recommend that you, Serafin, publicly apologize for your behavior and actions and step down as board president," said board member Melinda Young.
Young claimed that the board president violated the board's bylaws to govern responsibly and hold himself to the highest ethical standards. Some parents said he's no longer fit to set an example for children.
"I can not believe you were elected, not once, but twice," said one parent.
The next hearing for Serafin's case is in January.
