Actually, my reply to Dedman just reminded me of one of my alternate character interpretations. I think Charles Xavier is an incredibly selfish and irresponsible son of a b**ch.
I made a rather extensive blog post on this topic on CV. I'll just copy/paste it here.
Even though Cyclops now has full leadership of the X-Men, and Charles is obsolete, Charles Xavier is still generally thought of the wise, benevolent leader of the X-Men.
Why?
I have no idea. He's completely sick.
Let me list off a few reasons for you...
1. He never gives a flying crap when his students die. First, he put together the original team of X-Men. They went through a few roster changes, everything was cool. Then he sent the team to investigate Krakoa. Cyclops was the only one who returned. All the rest were, presumably, dead. So Xavier said, "Hmm. Now that my whole team of seasoned veterans has probably been killed by a mysterious adversary, I think I'll put together a smaller team of completely inexperienced teens, and send them to the same island." Then that whole team died too (well, two of them actually survived, but Xavier had every reason to believe they were all dead). Xavier thought, "Hmmm. A whole team of dead kids might besmirch my reputation. I'll just mindwipe everyone who knew they existed. Now, even though I still have no evidence at all that the original team is even alive, I'll make another team of mutants, and send them to the island! Maybe this team won't die or anything." With luck, this team actually managed to rescue the original team, to which Xavier said, "Yay! The original team is safe (screw the second team, nobody cares about them)! This totally justifies everything I've done up to this point!"
Some time later on, the entire team (now a mix of the first and third teams, plus some new guys) got abducted by the Brood. Xavier fully believed they were all dead. So he said, "Crap! Now my whole team is dead! Now I have to put together another team of random kids and throw them into a war zone. I think I'll call this new team the New Mutants. I guess ''X-Men" is just unlucky or something. And just so I don't freak the kids out and make them want to leave, the information I give them about the original teams will be completely minimal."
2. Even if your mutant powers are totally useless, you still have to put on a uniform and be a superhero if you want to stay at his school. Case in point: Doug Ramsey. Doug had the ability to instantly understand languages. That power isn't worth a steaming pile of dog s#it in a fight against mutant terrorists and Sentinels. Doug was often even a hindrance to the rest of the team, since they constantly had to go out of their way to keep him from getting killed. But, nevertheless, Xavier had his rule: If you are a mutant who wants the sanctuary and protection of my super-secret school, then you are required to put on a stupid costume and constantly risk your life for my ideals. If you don't want to do that, then GTFO fool.
And wasn't if just convenient for him that mutant powers so often manifest during puberty, when a kid is still very confused and easily impressionable about what they should do with their lives. Then when their powers manifest and their whole life suddenly goes to Hell in a handbasket, they are easy pickings for Xavier to find them, pretend to be a wise man with a safe school, then indoctrinate (see also: brainwash) them into believing in his personal ideals and worldview.
3. Xavier never even went into battle himself. I can just imagine the dialogue...
DOUG RAMSEY: Professor Xavier, if you are so keen on making all of us risk our lives for your all-important ideals, then why don't you ever go out into the field with us?
CHARLES XAVIER: Stupid question. I'm in a wheelchair, you moron. I'm totally useless in a fight.
DOUG: Yeah, so am I. But you still make me fight...
CHARLES: I am a helpless invalid!!!
DOUG: You're one of the most powerful mutants on earth, and you don't even need your legs to use your powers.
CHARLES: Shut up, kid! You expect me to fight in this stupid wheelchair??
DOUG: We have the tech to build one of the world's most advanced combat training centers in our basement. We have the tech to make a visor that completely stops Cyclops' eyebeams, one of the most powerful destructive forces on earth. We have the tech to make a suit that keeps Havok's powers in check. Beast used simple spare parts we had lying around to make a machine that overloaded Unus' force field. I'm sure that, if you actually tried, you could scrounge up the tech for a good battle-ready hoverchair.
CHARLES: STFU, whelp!!!! (((***mindwiiiiiiiipe***))) This conversation never happened. Now go fight Magneto for me.
4. Juggernaut Xavier pretty much made Juggernaut the villian he would be for most of his life. He was a pompous little pr!ck when they were growing up. Cain was jealous of Charles for being favored by their father. And Charles, even when his telepathy developed and he could see into Cain's mind and sense his jealous hatred, did absolutely nothing to keep all bridges with his step-brother from being burned.
5. Legion Not much of a point to expand on here, but having an illegitimate son who wants to kill you isn't exactly a positive thing.
6. Danger Charles Xavier tried to lock away the existant of a senting being, for the sake of giving his precious X-Men a cooler training room.
When Xavier first incorporated Shi'Ar technology into the Danger Room, he did not expect the tech to become self-aware. The being reached out to Xavier, asking, "Where am I"?. Xavier knew that the existance of a sentient force in the technology you put a real crimp in his plans to use the tech for the Danger Room. So he did his best to just 'shut away' the being so it wouldn't mess up his plans.
