Pittsfield Schools' Investigation Clears One Administrator
Updated Thursday morning with more information about the Department of Children and Families investigation.
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— Allegations against one Pittsfield High School staff member have been found to be “unsustained” by an investigator hired by the school district.
On Wednesday, School Committee Chair William Cameron reported that the first part of the investigation led by Mary-Lou Rup, a retired Superior Court judge, was completed and one of the school’s two deans, Molly West, was cleared by Rup.
“What has been received pertains to the allegations made against Pittsfield High School Dean of Students Molly West,” Cameron reported.
“The investigator’s detailed report finds the allegations made against [West] to be unsustained.”
Cameron Thursday morning told iBerkshires.com that the district has reason to believe that DCF's investigation has cleared West, but he does not have written confirmation of that assertion.
"I have been told by [interim Deputy Superintendent Matt] Bishop, who is the Pittsfield Public Schools' contact with DCF in these matters, that the agency's investigation of Ms. West was returned with a determination that the allegations made against her were unsupported," Cameron wrote in an email requesting clarification. "I have not seen formal confirmation of this from DCF. Apparently, its report to Dr. Bishop was provided through a conversation."
West and another staffer at the school were placed on administrative leave in December in the wake of investigations by the Department of Children and Families. A couple days before, PHS Dean Lavante Wiggins was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine.
The Berkshire Eagle Wednesday night reported that DCF has determined that allegations of misconduct against PHS Vice Principal Alison Shepard were unsupported.
The School Committee-instigated investigation into allegations of wrongdoing by PHS staff members began at the beginning of the year and is expected to be completed on or before March 31.
