[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6679118,"mediaKeyId","2245722-6f58a7991034601aa6e88432e48945af","parentId",2245722,"title","Resident asks board how community input shaped new superintendent hire; calls DEI \"opportunity, not a substitute for merit\"","audioSeconds",280,"startMs",372000,"endMs",652000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2245722-6f58a7991034601aa6e88432e48945af&start=372&end=652","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2245722-6f58a7991034601aa6e88432e48945af/thumbnail_372000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6679118/Pennsylvania/Resident-asks-board-how-community-input-shaped-new-superintendent-hire-calls-DEI-opportunity-not-a-substitute-for-merit","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6679118-fb8c100d63af707597395188a14eebff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770497978&Signature=QfFsngC0K4msXRHtFQqv1B1pYjOgvcz4~JQiOeBUqBuQoxxFed1y8ad4GqNhx4hrWPdYo~2v63Pi8HytGFw2jJWyzVFApurRAFVpTjZ3i-FbLMf5o~p33xQtMESOmLlHGsgQw1oW6gia~mIlezcMF7o1s3E42-SWqVVSKRE81iLcI7VEBwgGudj9CKS66xb1BBlMgm4cm36mcro9uySpIBfjno3j2Exiwyk1tAJL17FscbzwjFxthcGw75cO-sRhd~hYOATLQgshB89XuaP4P8u84Ve44XK4KqoucY8mRsmumrMjo9Lq3k9xf4UHTLX6qeC1z8iujXkcgJ-UFl3C3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","McKeesport Area School District","date","2025-02-07T01:16:05.48Z","article","Cynthia Baldwin, a resident, asked the McKeesport Area School District Board of Directors on Feb. 6 whether there had been public input into the hiring of the district
new superintendent, and urged the board not to equate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies with a lowering of merit standards.

Baldwin opened her public comment by asking directly whether citizens had been able to contribute to the superintendent search: “I am here tonight because I heard that we have a new superintendent. Do we? We do. And I wanted to ask if there was citizen input into that.” A board member responded that the district had hired a search organization and that the consultant collected public input, including a community survey \"that was shared with the board.\" The board member said the survey results were used by the board when considering candidates.

Baldwin then described her own experience with segregation and why she views DEI as a tool to expand opportunity. She told the board: “It has nothing to do with merit. You have to have merit to get the job, but it makes sure that people who were not able to get in the door can at least have the opportunity to talk about their merit.”

A board member identified in the meeting as Mr. Bolton responded in agreement, saying the district sought to \"give everyone an opportunity,\" and describing the district
s having a process in which many candidates were considered: \"Give everyone an opportunity like we did with that superintendent Lehi there was 28 people and we let all 28 speak. And then we made a decision to go from there after we had a survey, etcetera.\" Bolton also said the objective was \"educating these kids in this district and getting the right people in here. I don't care who it is we get in here get the right one.\"

The public record does not include the name of the new superintendent in the public comment exchange, nor does it provide the full consultant report or the raw survey results. Board members referenced a consultant-led search, taped interviews handled by the consultant, and a community survey that was shared with the board and used in narrowing candidates.

No formal board action on the superintendent hire or on DEI policy was recorded in the Feb. 6 public meeting minutes included in the transcript; the item was raised during the public comment period. The board earlier said it had met in executive session to discuss personnel matters before the public portion of the meeting.

Provenance: Public-comment exchange on superintendent hiring and DEI appears in the transcript beginning when Baldwin addressed the board (transcript timestamp ~372.49) and continues through board members' responses (transcript timestamp ~775.32).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 6, 2025 _ MASD School Board Voting / Agenda Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At the Feb. 6 McKeesport Area School District special meeting, resident Cynthia Baldwin asked whether citizens had input into the hiring of the district's new superintendent and urged the board not to conflate diversity, equity and inclusion with a lack of merit.","taxTitle","McKeesport Area SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania","taxId",59799,"location","Pennsylvania","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6679122,"McKeesport Area School District board approves four employee terminations at special meeting",69,783000,852000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2245722-6f58a7991034601aa6e88432e48945af&start=783&end=852","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2245722-6f58a7991034601aa6e88432e48945af/thumbnail_783000.jpg","/articles/6679122/Pennsylvania/McKeesport-Area-School-District-board-approves-four-employee-terminations-at-special-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6679122-314be231831a7783286db0a0d050bd48/orig.mp4?Expires=1770497978&Signature=WAB9rcKQlpkwDMrUanRcdZu0ar2dS0H17jaGumY~NmZK~eNTotT8GORE66tSfkNPvBqJv8epqFl3su~u2GWTNhq-UNPWvaHZuTL89km6JH0W70wRhzAnhKL9ne7-YQD0EwBO3S64ELnUzu~HfaFc0Ycqt0L00TA03LlE5iA4KvmoWCwWoFqJcDxPH0eW7~Vqs2aXBjC~mEUEERn885UuMHDhcCasqzfsB2ehMBwmDNfnm-KiIxepQUEXvwBIOAnlWzxJPdMFPZCJNGivgNY7IyCYWH-vbIPPtp7Ru7UlzEOlm1oh2jrP7mcN0xE~~254uTzi4V8U-AUTunVauu7Teg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McKeesport Area School District Board of Directors voted to approve four employee terminations during a special meeting on Feb. 6, 2025, acting on personnel items brought before the board.

The board considered agenda items 5.1 through 5.4, each listed as a termination of a district employee by employee number. The board moved and seconded each item and carried each motion after a roll-call vote; no member-level vote tallies or individual yea/nay votes were read aloud in the public record during the motions. The meeting record indicates no discussion on the substance of the terminations.

The four motions recorded in the meeting transcript were:
- \"Board action to approve the termination of employee 1573.\" — moved, seconded, roll call; motion carried.
- \"Board action to approve the termination of employee number 0124.\" — moved, seconded, roll call; motion carried.
- \"Board action to approve the termination of employee 0973.\" — moved, seconded, roll call; motion carried.
- \"Board action to approve the termination of employee 07/07/2023.\" — moved, seconded, roll call; motion carried.

The transcript does not identify who made or seconded the motions by name, nor does it provide numerical vote counts or individual roll-call votes in the public remarks portion of the record. The board had met in executive session before the public meeting to \"discuss any personnel and potential litigation items and issues,\" according to the record.

After the motions, the board moved to adjourn the segment of the meeting that handled those personnel items.

Provenance: The termination motions and roll-call outcomes are recorded in the meeting transcript beginning at the agenda item announcement for item 5.1 (transcript timestamp ~783.68) and continuing through the adjournment of that portion of the meeting (transcript timestamp ~851.45).","At a Feb. 6 special meeting, the McKeesport Area School District Board of Directors approved four termination motions by roll call; the motions passed with no discussion recorded.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6679113,"Board hears about high-school pump repairs, funds D.A.R.E. from general fund; students honored for \"Back of the Blue\" event",216,961000,1177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2245722-6f58a7991034601aa6e88432e48945af&start=961&end=1177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2245722-6f58a7991034601aa6e88432e48945af/thumbnail_961000.jpg","/articles/6679113/Pennsylvania/Board-hears-about-high-school-pump-repairs-funds-DARE-from-general-fund-students-honored-for-Back-of-the-Blue-event","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6679113-5b55ed7e51e2ebd6bc61e5fa3bda2ed4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770497978&Signature=YfNMBcXUyaRbz1NqOXJFpl5K80pL0satQg4AjxQx2VYshziuGGQjuY96~rloLIoEn2vytEQ2EGZaRuZ~RNSVI~K8r4CwVKD5yGcSjF1pMkvZHboG8uR1nV6yENHqsKivHvKaYJ6JrCl~XpIgffDOpOUir7FdU5OFnGJ9BGiICVgtT0RDOvvhewcd0XM4-hDT~pc36ONP3lEj~ZlRInbyS-1XoAYw4I-hGSJHRrjfSrt7L~omKeJBRSjg9tFcZpYcRERhNE3D7vr3EGAxFw2tO5RaHOSSnF6lY-xxy~Gt0dy9I1T~TPf1aS6S9y5R6BdVJc1sBM-WlPTI9j~h~ktZ4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the Feb. 6 special meeting, the McKeesport Area School District Board of Directors discussed facilities work at the high school and funding for student programming.

A board member reported that the hot-water circulation pumps at the high school need repair and that the district planned to rebuild the pumps at a lower cost than full replacement. The speaker said rebuilding would save “a significant amount of money” and indicated an amount of about $39,000 \"per pump\" in the exchange recorded in the public meeting.

On programming, the board noted that the long-running D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, which serves fifth-grade students at Twin Rivers and Francis Accord, had previously relied on an external grant that is no longer available. The board said it located funds in the district
general fund to continue the D.A.R.E. program so that Officer Marty could keep delivering the curriculum. The meeting transcript states that the D.A.R.E. program has been in place for \"over 20 years.\" The transcript does not specify the dollar amount moved from the general fund.

The board also recognized a recent \"Back of the Blue\" event for first responders, saying the district hosted a breakfast and that students helped organize signage and support. Two students named in the meeting were Taylor Lewis and Elijah Alford; the board thanked them for organizing the event and thanked area first responders.

These facilities and program items were presented as part of consent or routine agenda sections; the transcript indicates the board sought motions to approve related consent agenda items for facilities, contracts and curriculum at an upcoming regular meeting (02/13/2025). No separate contested votes on the pump repairs or D.A.R.E. funding were recorded in the Feb. 6 public transcript.

Provenance: Facilities remarks and the D.A.R.E. funding note appear in the transcript in remarks about agenda sections (timestamps ~961.04 to ~1046.47); student recognition appears later in the meeting record (timestamps ~1119.06 to ~1177.36).","The McKeesport Area School District board discussed rebuilding hot-water circulation pumps at the high school to save costs compared with replacement and noted an approximate per-pump cost; the board also said it used general-fund dollars to continue D.A.R.E. for fifth graders and recognized students who organized an event for first responders.","actionData","errors"]

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Resident asks board how community input shaped new superintendent hire; calls DEI "opportunity, not a substitute for merit"

McKeesport Area School District board approves four employee terminations at special meeting

Board hears about high-school pump repairs, funds D.A.R.E. from general fund; students honored for "Back of the Blue" event