JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — Outraged parents and residents of the Westmont Hilltop School District again demanded answers from their school board following a criminal investigation that led to rape charges against a long-time music teacher that also revealed other cases of inappropriate touching dating back several years that investigators say the school district knew about.
"(The school board) either don’t care about the kids, they’re incompetent, or they’re crooked," said John Mize, of Concerned Citizens of Westmont Hilltop School District. "I don’t know any other way to explain it."
They came together Monday night, nearly a week after rape and sexual assault charges were filed against long-time elementary school music teacher Shawn Miller for a 2015 case involving a then nine-year-old girl. Mize organized parents and residents last year after two students were charged in an alleged plot to shoot up the high school.
"Once again, our school administration has been notified of something that's going on, they’ve had multiple responses from parents and people over the years about this particular situation, and once again they’ve done nothing until it blows up in their face," Mize said. "And that’s a consistent pattern that we’re seeing."
The meeting tonight was open to the public, however, when some people expressed concerns about the presence of 6 News at the meeting, we were politely asked to leave so the discussion could be had more openly without the media present.
One parent who did speak to us said he was shocked by the allegations and urged the community to take action.
"When it has to do with children, someone must be put on administrative leave until you investigate or whatever the action is," Jeremy Kohan said. "But to let it go on for that long it’s just very sad."
Westmont Hilltop School District Superintendent Thomas Mitchell said in a statement to parents last week that the district communicated all reported incidents of inappropriate behavior to the appropriate agency for investigation. Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said that Westmont Hilltop School District has been fully cooperative with their investigation.
But for the organizers of the group, it’s not enough.
"We’ll be running a slate of candidates in 2023 with the aim of unseating eventually every single-seated board member," Mize said. "They’re just not listening, and it’s time for someone who will."
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