Parents in a Pennsylvania school district are expressing outrage after two staff members were arrested for inappropriate interactions with students, leading the school board to take action.”I’m outraged. This is bull. This is straight-up bull,” one parent said. “My daughter is a freshman in this high school. In the last two weeks, two of her teachers got taken out in cuffs.”Last week, a teacher at Laurel Highlands High School in Fayette County was accused of attempting to kiss a student. This week, a Junior ROTC instructor was charged with sexual assault of a student.Parents accused district of allowing culture of law-breaking and abuseDuring a school board meeting this week, parents accused the district of allowing a culture of law-breaking and abuse. The school board president said the board is equally outraged and plans to hold mandatory reporters accountable and post reporting resources in the halls.”I’m appalled. As a parent, it’s embarrassing. This should not be happening in a public school. And as we get the information from the administration, I can tell you that our board is very aggressive, and we’re handling this as aggressively as possible within the legal counsel that we have,” school board president Marcus Dinunno said.JROTC instructor arrested on sexual assault chargesJROTC instructor Daniel Cervone was arrested on sexual assault charges stemming from allegations from a minor.According to the criminal complaint, those alleged assaults happened on school grounds between 2019 and 2020. The board voted to put him on leave at that meeting.Teacher accused of asking student to kiss himMartin Gatti, a teacher at the school, was also charged last week after asking a student to kiss him several times while inside a classroom.District superintendent cooperating with investigationsThe district’s superintendent said the district is fully cooperating with investigations, conducting an internal personnel review on their reporting and screening process, enhancing training for staff, and providing counseling for students.He said the alleged actions are unacceptable, and while they cannot change them, they are holding the staff members accountable. He also promises to keep the community informed as much as is allowed.
Parents in a Pennsylvania school district are expressing outrage after two staff members were arrested for inappropriate interactions with students, leading the school board to take action.
“I’m outraged. This is bull. This is straight-up bull,” one parent said. “My daughter is a freshman in this high school. In the last two weeks, two of her teachers got taken out in cuffs.”
Last week, a teacher at Laurel Highlands High School in Fayette County was accused of attempting to kiss a student. This week, a Junior ROTC instructor was charged with sexual assault of a student.
Parents accused district of allowing culture of law-breaking and abuse
During a school board meeting this week, parents accused the district of allowing a culture of law-breaking and abuse. The school board president said the board is equally outraged and plans to hold mandatory reporters accountable and post reporting resources in the halls.
“I’m appalled. As a parent, it’s embarrassing. This should not be happening in a public school. And as we get the information from the administration, I can tell you that our board is very aggressive, and we’re handling this as aggressively as possible within the legal counsel that we have,” school board president Marcus Dinunno said.
JROTC instructor arrested on sexual assault charges
JROTC instructor Daniel Cervone was arrested on sexual assault charges stemming from allegations from a minor.
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Daniel Cervone
According to the criminal complaint, those alleged assaults happened on school grounds between 2019 and 2020. The board voted to put him on leave at that meeting.
Teacher accused of asking student to kiss him
Martin Gatti, a teacher at the school, was also charged last week after asking a student to kiss him several times while inside a classroom.
District superintendent cooperating with investigations
The district’s superintendent said the district is fully cooperating with investigations, conducting an internal personnel review on their reporting and screening process, enhancing training for staff, and providing counseling for students.
He said the alleged actions are unacceptable, and while they cannot change them, they are holding the staff members accountable. He also promises to keep the community informed as much as is allowed.