3 McKeesport Area School District employees placed on unpaid leave after sex abuse allegations
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) — Three McKeesport Area School District employees have been moved from paid leave to unpaid leave in the wake of the district's sex abuse scandal.
In a school board meeting on Thursday, those in attendance were expecting to hear the findings from the disciplinary hearings for the employees involved. The details from solicitor's report were not made public, but the results were.
It all stems from charges filed against a former security guard in the district. Alexis Brown, 24, had sex with an underage student at her apartment more than dozen times going back to May 2023, police say.
An investigation found up to five employees knew about it in October 2023 but didn't report it until five days later. Superintendent Tia Wanzo was one of the employees. She resigned before the school year.
On Thursday, the school board approved three resolutions to put three employees on unpaid leave. Solicitor Gary Matta said the board will now go through a process where the employees can take legal action to try to get their jobs back or reach a settlement.
Matta said the fifth employee will be fully reinstated starting on Friday.
Matta said the community should have confidence in the district and the acting superintendent, William Pettigrew.
"I think things are back on track the day Dr. Pettigrew came to McKeesport." Matta said. "Clearly his experiences, his knowledge base is one of the top in the state of Pennsylvania. I have nothing but respect for him."
Matta said to learn more about the findings, KDKA-TV needs to file a right-to-know quest. KDKA-TV plans to do so.
