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Parents and community members press McKeesport Area School District for review after viral video and an expulsion
Summary
Parents and community members at the April 9 meeting pressed the McKeesport Area School District to release a full video and review an expulsion decision after a short viral clip prompted allegations that a student was assaulted; the board later approved a student-discipline resolution.
Parents and community members urged the McKeesport Area School District board on April 9 to review a recent disciplinary decision and release footage after a short, widely shared clip led to an expulsion and allegations of physical assault.
"At approximately 4:13, I get a call from Mr. Kiska saying she's expelled over hearsay," Keana Mitchell told the board, saying she arrived at the school within 15 minutes and asked to see the video. "The video is probably all of a 5-to-8-second clip ... it's blurry. That's why we're here today. Because now she can't walk. She can't go to the prom. She waited so long and worked so hard."
Faun Montgomery, who said she had seen the full footage, told the board she believed the clip showed a student being physically assaulted. "He grabbed her by her neck and choked her," Montgomery said, adding that she had seen what she called the full video and that the person who returned to the school should have been removed. "He needs to be fired."
Speakers in the public-comment period pressed the board to follow established procedures and to give greater transparency about how the district handled the incident and the social-media clip. Board members and administrators reiterated that expulsions involve an initial three-day period followed by a mandatory hearing before final action. "By law, any student that is going to be expelled... there's initial 3-day period followed by mandatory [hearing]," a board member explained during the exchange.
District officials said they would review the matter through appropriate channels. Commenters said they expected the district to provide a fuller accounting and, where appropriate, to pursue personnel action; several speakers signaled they would return to future meetings to press their concerns.
Later in the meeting the board moved, seconded and approved Resolution 10.1 concerning student discipline by roll call. The board recorded the motion as carried but did not read detailed case information into the public record at that time.
The remarks and the vote left key questions about evidence and any personnel actions unresolved in public session. Public speakers asked the district to release additional footage and to confirm next steps; administrators said they would follow due process required by law.
