McKeesport Area School District holds board meeting amid two ongoing controversies involving staff members

McKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) -- The McKeesport Area School District held a board meeting Thursday night amid two ongoing controversies involving staff members and school leaders.

Brenda Sawyer, the district's police chief, was arrested and is accused of stealing thousands of dollars to fuel a gambling addiction.

Sawyer, who was the regional director for the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics, is charged with stealing from that agency and the NAACP's McKeesport branch, all to use at local casinos.

The McKeesport Area School District's solicitor Gary Matta says they're still reviewing the charges against her, but confirms she was placed on paid administrative leave.

Sawyer's leave comes as the school district is already embroiled in a separate controversy where leaders are under fire for their handling of child sex abuse allegations between a security guard and a sixteen-year-old student.

Matta says the district knew Sawyer's home had been searched in May, but the board didn't take action at the time because it didn't involve the district and charges hadn't been filed until Thursday.

"As soon as the acting superintendent was made aware, he immediately contacted Ms. Sawyer and placed her on a leave of absence," Matta said. "We'll be moving through the appropriate actions. I didn't have the time to review the charges before the meeting."

This was the first McKeesport school board meeting since Superintendent Tia Wanzo resigned.

A special counsel report found that Wanzo, a high school teacher, and a high school principal all failed to timely report those sex abuse allegations against a student.

Some community members accused the district of double standards between the investigations into Sawyer and Wanzo.

Matta staunchly denies that.

"I think that's inaccurate," Matta said. "We've addressed every personnel matter in an identical manner and will continue to do that."

Two other McKeesport school administrators have also had disciplinary hearings.

Matta says the findings on all five hearings will be addressed at the next board meeting.