CLEARFIELD – Two key officials have resigned amid allegations of alleged sexual misconduct by a staff member at the Clearfield County Career & Technology Center.
At Monday’s regular meeting, the CCCTC’s Joint Operating Committee voted unanimously to accept the unconditional resignation offer by William Weaver and Cathy Thomas, effective May 11, upon receipt of the original letter tendering their resignations.
Weaver had been employed as the executive director and Thomas had been employed as the assistant director of the CCCTC.
The committee also approved a motion to allow Superintendent of Record, Dr. Jill Dillon, to hire an acting director and to advertise for an executive director, effective immediately.
The committee held an executive session prior to conducting the meeting. Under the Pennsylvania Sunshine Law, executive sessions can be called in order to discuss personnel issues, litigation and the acquisition of property.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, several individuals who did not identify themselves questioned the committee about the resignations.
One man said he is concerned that if people are allowed to simply resign, they would be able to “pick up and go to another facility.”
The man asked if any charges were going to be filed regarding what he referred to as “sexual misconduct.” The man also said he is concerned because the parents were not notified or given any information about the incident.
The man also said this situation has been going on for “quite a while.” He said his daughter had been one of the students who had witnessed the alleged incident and when she and other students tried to report what they saw, they were “told to keep it quiet.”
Dillon said that the issue is a personnel matter and that there is an ongoing investigation into the alleged incident. She said the committee cannot comment at this time due to the investigation. Dillon said when the school was notified, they “acted on it immediately.”
Another individual from the public asked about who was responsible for contacting officials at the school districts who send students to the CCCTC.
Dillon said whoever is in charge of the building at the time of the incident is responsible for making the contacts.
A third individual asked what “unconditional resignation” meant and Dillon said it meant with no conditions attached.
A fourth individual asked how the committee was going to address the “pass the trash” bill, in reference to Pennsylvania Senate Bill 46, which is designed to require background checks for potential employees for most positions in school districts. The bill is also designed to eliminate the practice of moving an abusive staff member to a different district, instead of dismissing and reporting them.
Dillon said the committee and the school will act in accordance with the law.
Following the meeting, Dillon told the media that the school was not made aware of the alleged incident until May 1 and that the superintendents of all of the six school districts who sent students to the CCCTC were contacted at that time.
Because the alleged incident is still under investigation, Dillon said she could not provide any further information.