Case Explained:This article breaks down the legal background, charges, and implications of Case Explained: Laurel Highlands School District hires outside legal counsel amid sex crime allegations – Legal Perspective
The Laurel Highlands School District has hired independent counsel to conduct an outside review following the arrests of two staff members accused of sex crimes against students.Both the district attorney and parents say that’s a good start to putting an end to alleged abuse at the high school.”There’s pedophiles all over our school. So we need to get them out, and the job isn’t being done,” said Sarah Hixson, a Laurel Highlands High School alumna and current parent.The board hired Pittsburgh-based MBM Law to review their practices and procedures, saying the action promotes transparency.”We share the outrage over the recent incidents of sexual misconduct in our district. We are committed to getting answers. What was known? When was it known? Whether the proper actions were taken at the same time? We are strengthening police policies, reporting systems and preventative measures to better protect our students,” said school board president Marcus DiNunno at a special meeting Wednesday.Transparency is the primary concern for both parents and Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele. Graduates of the high school say a culture of abuse and failure to report has been covered up for years.”They need to know that someone is in their corner and they have a safe person to go to when they need it. Allowing child predators to continue to fly under the radar until recordings of the abuse come out is abhorrent,” said Sharon Carpenter, a Laurel Highlands High School alumna and family member of students.Aubele said his office has received additional reports of alleged sex crimes tied to ongoing investigations, as well as others that have recently come to light.”Parents are extremely concerned not only for the reports that we’ve had and the arrests that have been made, but again, about some of the things that they’re hearing. Whether the students are actually being told not to talk about things that are going on, and whether teachers are told not to report things that they know about. But if that’s the rumors that are going around, then that speaks to a culture that can’t be accepted,” Aubele said.Many believe the only real way to bring this to an end is by removing long-standing administrators. “I think deep dive investigation to administrators that have been here for a long time, because there is negligence that has been going on for a long time,” Hixson said. The next general school board meeting is on April 15. The school board president told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Felicity Taylor they will likely vote to fire Daniel Cervone, who has been on leave since his arrest, at that meeting. Martin Gatti, who was arrested a week before Cervone, has already been fired.
The Laurel Highlands School District has hired independent counsel to conduct an outside review following the arrests of two staff members accused of sex crimes against students.
Both the district attorney and parents say that’s a good start to putting an end to alleged abuse at the high school.
“There’s pedophiles all over our school. So we need to get them out, and the job isn’t being done,” said Sarah Hixson, a Laurel Highlands High School alumna and current parent.
The board hired Pittsburgh-based MBM Law to review their practices and procedures, saying the action promotes transparency.
“We share the outrage over the recent incidents of sexual misconduct in our district. We are committed to getting answers. What was known? When was it known? Whether the proper actions were taken at the same time? We are strengthening police policies, reporting systems and preventative measures to better protect our students,” said school board president Marcus DiNunno at a special meeting Wednesday.
Transparency is the primary concern for both parents and Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele. Graduates of the high school say a culture of abuse and failure to report has been covered up for years.
“They need to know that someone is in their corner and they have a safe person to go to when they need it. Allowing child predators to continue to fly under the radar until recordings of the abuse come out is abhorrent,” said Sharon Carpenter, a Laurel Highlands High School alumna and family member of students.
Aubele said his office has received additional reports of alleged sex crimes tied to ongoing investigations, as well as others that have recently come to light.
“Parents are extremely concerned not only for the reports that we’ve had and the arrests that have been made, but again, about some of the things that they’re hearing. Whether the students are actually being told not to talk about things that are going on, and whether teachers are told not to report things that they know about. But if that’s the rumors that are going around, then that speaks to a culture that can’t be accepted,” Aubele said.
Many believe the only real way to bring this to an end is by removing long-standing administrators.
“I think [a] deep dive investigation to administrators that have been here for a long time, because there is negligence that has been going on for a long time,” Hixson said.
The next general school board meeting is on April 15.
The school board president told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Felicity Taylor they will likely vote to fire Daniel Cervone, who has been on leave since his arrest, at that meeting. Martin Gatti, who was arrested a week before Cervone, has already been fired.