Letters accuse Clarett in danger of flunking

Letters from Ohio State to the suspended football player were published.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Suspended Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett's poor performance in two classes could harm his chances of playing again for the Buckeyes, a newspaper reported.
Clarett was in danger of flunking two courses as a deadline for withdrawing from classes approached, according to letters written to him by university officials and reviewed Friday by The Columbus Dispatch.
Failing or withdrawing from the classes would prolong the sophomore's suspension, the letters said.
A letter by athletic director Andy Geiger dated Oct. 29 said that African American studies professor Viola Newton had forbidden Clarett from returning to her class after he missed at least five sessions and slept during others.
"The university and the professor view this behavior as disruptive, disrespectful and unacceptable," Geiger wrote. "Dr. Newton does not under any circumstances want you back in her class."
Physical education warning
In a letter Thursday, Julie D. Vannatta, a university attorney, warned Clarett that he was flunking a physical education course after he failed to turn in assignments.
She encouraged him to drop both classes by Friday -- the final day for withdrawing from classes without getting a flunking grade. Otherwise, it would be difficult for him to maintain an acceptable grade-point average, she wrote.
Geiger declined to meet with reporters before Saturday's football game between seventh-ranked Ohio State and No. 14 Michigan State, but he issued a statement through sports information director Steve Snapp denying that the university released the letters.
"The point is it would be an enormous risk for us to do something like that," Snapp said. "Why would we even think about doing that? We've tried very hard to protect all student-athletes' privacy. And that's certainly the case here.
"Our legal people have notified Maurice's attorneys to tell him how upset we were that the letters got out. They clearly did not come from us."
Privacy violation
Snapp said releasing a student's grades would be a violation of privacy laws.
Vannatta said federal law prohibited her from discussing Clarett's academic work, and Newton declined comment.
Geiger's letter warned that by dropping the classes, Clarett would carry only enough credits to be considered a part-time student. That would mean the three remaining games on OSU's football schedule would not count toward his suspension, so he would have to miss at least three games next year.
The letter also warned that the tailback must obtain a D average or better in five credits to be making "satisfactory academic progress" toward his reinstatement. It wasn't clear how many classes Clarett is taking.
Percy Squire, an attorney for Clarett, told The Dispatch Friday that his client decided not to withdraw from the African-American studies or physical education classes. Clarett also plans to enroll in winter-quarter classes at OSU, Squire said.
Squire refused additional comment when contacted Saturday morning by The Associated Press.