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Parent raises allegations of staff misconduct, asks for breakdown of $570K Stronger Connections grant
Summary
During public comment, Sean Duguay alleged staff physically mishandled a student and said he has body-camera video; he also asked the board for a detailed accounting of a Stronger Connections grant (about $570,000) that funded security scanners and mental-health programs.
A district parent, Sean Duguay, used the public-comment period at the Dec. 4 Ambridge Area School District meeting to allege staff misconduct, say he has officer body-camera video of the incident and request a detailed breakdown of the district’s Stronger Connections grant expenditures.
Duguay told the board he spoke with school staff and officers after an incident at the middle school and said he feared community members who raise concerns may be treated as perpetrators rather than being heard. He said, "I do have the video if you guys would like to see it off of here," and pressed the board for accountability and clarity on policy changes affecting staff interactions with students.
Duguay also asked for an accounting of the Stronger Connections grant awarded to the district in March, which he estimated at about $570,000, and said he understood new scanners for stadium entrances cost roughly $148,000 each. District staff responded that the scanners were purchased from grant funds and that other grant dollars supported Rachel's Challenge programming, counseling services and related mental-health initiatives. The business manager said some final accounting and budget reconciliation remain and offered to provide more detail and redlined budgets or to accept Right-to-Know requests for precise itemizations.
The solicitor and administrators noted that personnel matters are being reviewed with appropriate parties and that many of the contested items are subject to confidentiality and personnel-process limits. The board then voted to return to executive session to consider personnel and sensitive public-safety issues.
What happens next: The board said adopted policies will be posted on the district website and that Mr. Duguay can request redlined policy versions or follow up for grant accounting; the board moved into executive session to discuss personnel and sensitive public-safety matters.
