Three McKeesport Area School District employees have been placed on unpaid leave amid an ongoing sex abuse scandal in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. The decision, announced at a school board meeting earlier this month, marks a significant development in a case that has drawn widespread attention and concern.
The scandal centers on allegations against former security guard Alexis Brown, 24, who is accused of engaging in sexual relations with an underage student more than dozen times. According to police reports, the illicit encounters occurred at Brown's apartment on multiple occasions dating back to May 2023.
An internal investigation revealed that up to five district employees were aware of the situation in October 2023 but failed to report it for five days. This delay in reporting has become a focal point of the district's response to the incident.
According to CBS News, Superintendent Tia Wanzo, who was among those implicated in the delayed reporting, resigned from her position before the current school year began. The board's recent action affects three other employees, whose identities have not been disclosed due to ongoing legal proceedings.
District solicitor Gary Matta outlined the next steps in the process. The affected employees now have the option to pursue legal action to contest their employment status or seek a settlement with the district. He also noted that a fifth employee involved in the case will be fully reinstated to their position starting Friday.
The school board approved three separate resolutions to move the employees from paid to unpaid leave. However, specific details from the disciplinary hearings were not made public at the meeting.
Matta expressed confidence in the district's current leadership, particularly praising Acting Superintendent William Pettigrew. "I think things are back on track the day Dr. Pettigrew came to McKeesport," Matta told CBS News. "Clearly his experiences, his knowledge base is one of the top in the state of Pennsylvania. I have nothing but respect for him."