Ohio State has rejected the latest appeal for reconsideration by fired marching band director Jonathan Waters.
In a Wednesday letter, Waters asked the university to schedule a two-day public "name-clearing hearing" where he could question university employees on details of the investigation that uncovered a "sexualized culture" inside the band and led to Waters' July 24 dismissal. A university spokesman says Waters repeatedly misled investigators and "the issue is closed." Waters' elaborate halftime shows were considered revolutionary and drew millions of views on YouTube. Waters' attorney David Axelrod wrote that the university's investigation report was "replete with false, defamatory and stigmatizing statements" and the U.S. Constitution guarantees him the right to defend his reputation. He said Waters never got to read and respond to the report before it was released.