Former SHS Dean David Mendelowitz Indicted

A beloved former dean from the Scarsdale High School Counseling Department has been indicted for patronizing prostitutes, possession of crack cocaine, for the illegal purchase of Viagra and for hindering prosecution. According to the Journal News, Dean David Mendelowitz, a favorite of SHS students was among 19 people indicted on Tuesday November 20th. The arrests were announced by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly following a 16-month investigation into an ad agency that allegedly promoted prostitution.

In the complaint Mendelowitz admitted to using cocaine for years, saying, "I order cocaine and crack from an Asian female that I know. I have been using cocaine for twenty years. The last time I used cocaine was on May 8, 2012. I usually use cocaine on Friday nights."

Outlined in the complaint are two communications Mendelowitz had with Jay King the manager of the prostitution and narcotics ring. On May 4, 2012 he asked King to send him a female prostitute named Yoyo and said he wanted "two more hours plus a hundred for a package of rock." code for cocaine). On May 10 he asked Jay to send a prostitute named Suji along with "the blue thing and everything", referring to prescription Viagra and cocaine.

On May 18, according to the complaint he again spoke to Jay King to let him know that investigators from the NYS Attorney General's Office had come to his apartment and knew that he had been seeing prostitutes and smoking crack.

Mendelowitz abruptly retired from Scarsdale High School in June, 2012 after an absence of several weeks. Colleagues and students were surprised by his departure and there was speculation that he was sick or that a family member was ill. He was not lauded with the other retiring members of the SHS staff at the June 18, 2012 meeting.

In comments on Scarsdale10583.com, Mendelowitz was called "a champion for students, a fabulous colleague, and an innovative thinker." He was also credited with serving as the president of the Westchester Putnam Rockland Counselors Association and teaching aspiring counselors as a professor at Fordham University.

During his tenure at the high school, Mendelowitz served on the Drug and Alcohol Task Force, a group of students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and community leaders that seeks to educate students and adults about drugs and alcohol and develop "drug free attitudes."

After news of the indictment broke on Tuesday afternoon November 20, parents and students were reeling in disbelief. Emails, with subject lines like "OMG" were widely circulated with links to the news. It was hard to reconcile the man everyone knew with the news, As one parent said, "I was very surprised to hear about the charges. He was very respected at the high school and did a great job." Ken Hershey, a 2009 graduate of SHS jumped to his Dean's defense. "Dave Mendelowitz is a good man and was an outstanding dean. Above all else, he is innocent until proven guilty."  Some noted the resemblance of this case to that of Eliot Spitzer, in that both men were abusing the same laws they were charged with upholding. Particularly troubling to parents was Mendelowitz's role as a mentor to Scarsdale students.

An email from Michael McGill, Superintendent of the Scarsdale Schools was sent to parents and here is what it said:
Dear Members of the Scarsdale Schools Community:

I regret to inform you that we have just learned that a former dean at Scarsdale High School, David Mendelowitz, who retired in June, has been arrested on charges involving prostitution and illegal substances. Law enforcement officers have told us that his alleged conduct did not involve anyone in our community.

Despite this sad and most unfortunate news, we continue hopefully on our educational journey. After the difficulties of the past weeks, children are learning, and the schools are abuzz with productive activity. Please know that our children's safety and well-being are constantly in the forefront of teachers' and school leaders' minds.

We move forward, looking ahead to the reassuring warmth of family and friends this Thanksgiving Day and to positive, constructive learning in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Michael V. McGill
Superintendent of Schools