Superintendent Joseph Curtis addressed claims that the district was aware of illegal activity at the school, asserting "I am embarrassed and I am livid. You have not taken the time to know my values, personally or professionally. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine. On Friday, a second staff member was put on administrative leave because of an investigation conducted by the state Department of Children and Families.
The second staff member put on leave was not named and their title not revealed, though they have been widely reported to be the assistant principal, nor was the source of the investigation.
A dean of students accused of trafficking drugs and a vice principal alleged to have engaged in an inappropriate relationship with students," she said. Rumors persist about other staff on similar paths and as a parent and teacher, I am furious. An entire school community has been endangered by unqualified and improperly trained administrators. The Berkshire Eagle on Wednesday reported that a recently retired teacher is the subject of a federal complaint for sexual harassment of a PHS student.
Valerie Anderson said her two children had a positive experience at PHS a decade ago but if they enrolled in the school today, she would pull them out "in a minute because it appears that this school and maybe the whole district is out of control and totally mismanaged. What's going on? I've lost all faith in the administration.
This is a time to reinforce the safeguards of our schools, to protect our youth, our students, and remind us that we can come together as a community and support one another. We are counting on you as a school committee to lead this effort to do whatever it takes to restore our faith in the Pittsfield Public Schools and to restore our faith in you. I would love to know what's going to change," she said. Pittsfield will never evolve or thrive as long as people in positions of power are not held accountable, especially when it goes against crimes against our children.
