Survivors offer testimony and allege historical abuse during Leonia board public comment; board reiterates child-safety practices

Two public commenters used the meeting’s non‑agenda public-comment period to give personal testimony and to allege historical misconduct. The board acknowledged the comments, reiterated its child-safety protocols and later entered a closed session, returning to approve personnel items.

Edward Van Steenwyck described his experience as a survivor and asked the board to receive his account. “I appreciate when an institution listens honorably,” Van Steenwyck said.

An extended public comment came from Leroy Truth, who identified himself as an investigative journalist and as a survivor. He alleged that a teacher identified in his remarks as Edward Marines had exposed students and abused children historically, and he said he had collected accounts from graduates and attempted to meet with the superintendent. Truth urged the board to work with survivors and to suspend any staff member alleged to pose a current risk pending investigation. He also alleged he had been prevented from meeting with the superintendent and described law-enforcement encounters that he said followed his advocacy. All of these statements were offered as allegations by the speaker; the board did not take public disciplinary action during the meeting and did not provide an investigation outcome.

The speaker named the district superintendent in his remarks as Sylvia Abato and said he had sought a meeting and submitted requests for public records. The speaker also referenced allegations about responses in other districts and criticized named public officials in other jurisdictions; those allegations concern other entities and were presented by the speaker as his investigative claims.

In response, a board member reiterated the district’s commitment to student safety and training, but also said the board cannot speak about active litigation or about matters in other districts. “We do everything that we can… to protect our children,” the board representative said, adding the district requires trainings and education on healthy relationships and consent.

Later in the meeting the board entered a roughly 30-minute closed session with the stated purpose of discussing personnel; after returning to open session, the board voted on personnel items. The transcript does not show any board vote directly suspending or disciplining the person named during the public comment. The speaker making allegations did not present documentary evidence in the meeting record and the individuals named in those allegations did not provide statements at the meeting.

What’s next: The board scheduled an executive session and approved personnel items after returning to open session; no formal disposition of the allegations was recorded in open session.