Wittenberg professor’s son entertains class, TikTok video goes viral

Mattison’s son decided to entertain the class by dressing up in different outfits and walking behind his father.

Lucas Mattison recorded himself doing this and turned it into a TikTok video.

“We were running class and I think we were sharing a document on the first one and they hadn’t said anything,” his father said. “When he came in with a bow and arrow that’s when they started mentioning it.”

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Lucas Mattison walked by in a scuba suit, graduation gown, an explorer’s outfit, hunter’s gear with a bow and arrow and a ninja suit.

“It was just something I thought of,” the younger Mattisonsaid.

Mike Mattison said he knew his son was planning to do something, but he didn’t know what.

He was teaching Writing Center Theory and Practice, a course for students who are going to work in Wittenberg’s Writing Center in the fall.

“This whole thing (the coronavirus pandemic) is obviously difficult on students and faculty. It’s tough not being able to sit down and meet with them and see them each day,” Mike Mattison said. “If we can incorporate something that’s not going to take away from what we’re studying then that seems good to do.”

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Mike Mattison said they were hoping to beat his son’s previous TikTok video record of about 5,000 views, but exceeded the record by far.

The TikTok video has 4.8 million views and 1.5 million likes, “but it’s still growing,” Lucas Mattison said.

“Other than TikTok, I’m keeping busy with a lot of yard work and getting some quality family time,” Lucas Mattison said.

The younger Mattison is currently on leave from AmeriCorps. His father said he was supposed to fly out in March, but his flight was cancelled and everything was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are working on a couple more (TikTok videos).” Lucas Mattison said. But, his father jokingly warned fellow teachers to keep their doors locked when they are teaching from home.