Despite two Laurel Highlands High School teachers being arrested over the last week, the investigation into the entire district is far from complete. Ever since former teachers Martin Gatti and Daniel Cervone were arrested and accused of sexual relations with students, the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police have fielded several reports.“We’re going to vet every single report that’s made to us,” District Attorney Mike Aubele said. “We’ve been inundated with calls. We’ve received a lot of reports from members of the community. We’re going to do everything we can to protect our children.” Some of those reports already suggest that people in the district knew about the alleged actions well before charges came last week. “There may have been reports in the past against one of these individuals,” Aubele said. “Not a lot of people were surprised that this happened. That’s very concerning. Teachers and pretty much everybody in the school building are mandated reporters. Which means they have a legal obligation and duty to report any instance of child abuse. If that wasn’t done, that in and of itself is a criminal offense.”State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, R-Fayette, wrote a letter to the Pennsylvania Attorney General to investigate the district separately.The request comes after two school employees were charged in recent weeks with alleged inappropriate conduct involving students. Public reporting also indicates that similar concerns involving staff-student relationships were under investigation as early as 2023. In at least one case, the alleged conduct dates back several years before being reported to law enforcement.Grimm Krupa says that, taken together, these incidents raise serious questions about whether all allegations were properly reported, investigated, and addressed – and whether any additional misconduct may have gone undetected.“When multiple cases emerge within the same district over time, it is no longer sufficient to view them in isolation,” said Grimm Krupa, who represents the 51st District. “These circumstances raise legitimate questions about whether there is a broader pattern and whether existing safeguards and reporting requirements were consistently followed.”In a letter sent to the attorney general’s office, Grimm Krupa requested a review of compliance with Pennsylvania’s mandatory reporting laws, as well as an examination of whether any additional incidents, patterns of conduct or victims may exist.“This is about ensuring that nothing was missed,” she said. “If there are additional victims, they deserve to be identified and heard. And if there were failures in reporting or oversight, those must be fully examined.”Grimm Krupa emphasized that this request does not presume wrongdoing and that the request is being made to ensure that the laws meant to protect children are actually enforced and that the public gets transparency and accountability.“Families deserve confidence that every allegation was handled properly and that every step required to protect students was taken,” she said. “An independent review is the appropriate step to answer those questions.”Grimm Krupa also encouraged anyone with information related to these incidents to contact law enforcement.Aubele confirmed that his office would cooperate with the attorney general if a separate investigation was launched. However, his office will continue to work on its own findings. “I cannot stress enough that everything that is being asked to be done in that letter is being done fully by the best troop in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Aubele said. “We’re not overwhelmed. We’re not in a position where we’re saying, ‘Stop the reports.’ We’re doing very, very thorough investigations.”While officials field reports, professionals are supporting the students. “We do have an employee who’s going into the schools,” said Laurie Chappell, direct service manager for the Fayette County Crime Victim Centers. “We work with all of the school districts in the county.”Counselors from the center will continue to be at the school, not just to console students, but also to educate them on how to report. “It’s not OK if someone who is in authority makes a wrong or inappropriate gesture towards you,” Chappell said. “That’s not OK. It’s kind of difficult sometimes for kids to feel safe in the area where they may be harmed at. Our job is to get into the schools as much as possible and educate them as much, so we have those people to tell.” Investigators are reiterating that they want every report from the public about what may or may not be happening inside the district. “We’ve made two arrests to this point,” Aubele said. “We have other active investigations. We’re working non-stop, 24 hours to make sure we get to the bottom of what’s going on in this district.” Laurel Highlands Superintendent Jesse Wallace told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Friday that the district will fully cooperate with any investigation.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. —

Despite two Laurel Highlands High School teachers being arrested over the last week, the investigation into the entire district is far from complete.

Ever since former teachers Martin Gatti and Daniel Cervone were arrested and accused of sexual relations with students, the Fayette County District Attorney’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police have fielded several reports.

“We’re going to vet every single report that’s made to us,” District Attorney Mike Aubele said. “We’ve been inundated with calls. We’ve received a lot of reports from members of the community. We’re going to do everything we can to protect our children.”

Some of those reports already suggest that people in the district knew about the alleged actions well before charges came last week.

“There may have been reports in the past against one of these individuals,” Aubele said. “Not a lot of people were surprised that this happened. That’s very concerning. Teachers and pretty much everybody in the school building are mandated reporters. Which means they have a legal obligation and duty to report any instance of child abuse. If that wasn’t done, that in and of itself is a criminal offense.”

State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, R-Fayette, wrote a letter to the Pennsylvania Attorney General to investigate the district separately.

The request comes after two school employees were charged in recent weeks with alleged inappropriate conduct involving students. Public reporting also indicates that similar concerns involving staff-student relationships were under investigation as early as 2023. In at least one case, the alleged conduct dates back several years before being reported to law enforcement.

Grimm Krupa says that, taken together, these incidents raise serious questions about whether all allegations were properly reported, investigated, and addressed – and whether any additional misconduct may have gone undetected.

“When multiple cases emerge within the same district over time, it is no longer sufficient to view them in isolation,” said Grimm Krupa, who represents the 51st District. “These circumstances raise legitimate questions about whether there is a broader pattern and whether existing safeguards and reporting requirements were consistently followed.”

In a letter sent to the attorney general’s office, Grimm Krupa requested a review of compliance with Pennsylvania’s mandatory reporting laws, as well as an examination of whether any additional incidents, patterns of conduct or victims may exist.

“This is about ensuring that nothing was missed,” she said. “If there are additional victims, they deserve to be identified and heard. And if there were failures in reporting or oversight, those must be fully examined.”

Grimm Krupa emphasized that this request does not presume wrongdoing and that the request is being made to ensure that the laws meant to protect children are actually enforced and that the public gets transparency and accountability.

“Families deserve confidence that every allegation was handled properly and that every step required to protect students was taken,” she said. “An independent review is the appropriate step to answer those questions.”

Grimm Krupa also encouraged anyone with information related to these incidents to contact law enforcement.

Aubele confirmed that his office would cooperate with the attorney general if a separate investigation was launched. However, his office will continue to work on its own findings.

“I cannot stress enough that everything that is being asked to be done in that letter is being done fully by the best troop in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Aubele said. “We’re not overwhelmed. We’re not in a position where we’re saying, ‘Stop the reports.’ We’re doing very, very thorough investigations.”

While officials field reports, professionals are supporting the students.

“We do have an employee who’s going into the schools,” said Laurie Chappell, direct service manager for the Fayette County Crime Victim Centers. “We work with all of the school districts in the county.”

This content is imported from Facebook.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Counselors from the center will continue to be at the school, not just to console students, but also to educate them on how to report.

“It’s not OK if someone who is in authority makes a wrong or inappropriate gesture towards you,” Chappell said. “That’s not OK. It’s kind of difficult sometimes for kids to feel safe in the area where they may be harmed at. Our job is to get into the schools as much as possible and educate them as much, so we have those people to tell.”

Investigators are reiterating that they want every report from the public about what may or may not be happening inside the district.

“We’ve made two arrests to this point,” Aubele said. “We have other active investigations. We’re working non-stop, 24 hours to make sure we get to the bottom of what’s going on in this district.”

Laurel Highlands Superintendent Jesse Wallace told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Friday that the district will fully cooperate with any investigation.