Local News

Bellwood protest vents frustrations

Parents say officials dodging questions about Blazier case

BELLWOOD -- About 15 community members with signs gathered across the street from Bellwood-Antis High School Tuesday afternoon, demonstrating their frustrations of perceived unanswered calls for district officials to respond to the community's questions.

The protest stems from an incident at a Feb. 1 school board meeting where residents questioned officials over their response to and actions regarding the Ryan L. Blazier case. Blazier, a former wrestling coach, was sentenced last year to 21 to 42 years in prison for sexually assaulting two student wrestlers in 2019 and early 2020.

Rochelle Simpson, a parent of six students in the district, organized the protest with the hope that school officials remove themselves from their positions via administrative leave until the investigation and litigation are over.

Superintendent Thomas McInroy previously announced his retirement effective July 4.

"We are out here protesting today because the trial has finished for Ryan Blazier. In the public trial where people attended, there's some evidence that came out that clarified that there are multiple faculty members who knew about the sexual abuse that was taking place," she alleged.

Simpson believes school officials failed as mandated reporters to contact ChildLine, Pennsylvania's child abuse reporting hotline.

"They need to do what's right, not just for the survivors, but for every single student that is still in that school," Simpson said. "I'm worried for my kids' safety every single day. We can't trust that a mandated reporter is going to do what they're supposed to."

Last week's outcry

Simpson said the Feb. 1 meeting began as Sheri Noonan during the public comment period asked for more information in the Blazier case.

Board officials said they could not speak about the case, citing ongoing litigation, which drew outcries from public attendees.

Multiple protesters said members of the administration "dodge every question" and use the litigation as an excuse to stay quiet.

"The community is upset. The community wants answers, and this is the start where parents stand up and start to voice their opinions," Noonan said.

Noonan said there's been a lot of frustration building over the past two years, resulting in the reactions at the school board meeting.

"Frustrations bubbled over, and it got heated, but no threats were made," she said. Organizers originally planned the protest for before Tuesday's meeting, but they moved it to 2:30 p.m. once district officials postponed the meeting.

Noonan said the protest was to make people understand that there needs to be more accountability with the school district.

"There's no consequences for their actions," she said.

Lindsey Makin does not have a child in the district, but came out to support. "It's just wrong; everyone should be here. I don't have a kid in this school, but someone else does," she said.

Another attendee, Jennifer Parkes, said, "When the district attorney in a closing argument point blank refers to this as 'mini-Sandusky' case, you don't turn a blind eye."

District responds

A statement on B-A's website said "recent disruptive behavior" and "continued rhetoric posted on social media and in other locations" prompted officials to postpone Tuesday night's school board meeting, as well as a wrestling match scheduled for Thursday.

"Things got out of hand very quickly, and it was unfortunate," McInroy said of the Feb. 1 meeting. The school security officer in the meeting called another security officer, and eventually called the Bellwood police, he said. According to McInroy, borough police charged seven people with varying offenses, including threatening school officials, destruction of property and failure to leave. He also said there was an elementary student at the meeting and a group of 12 to 15 elementary students in the room next door for a basketball practice heard the commotion and swearing.

Simpson said the entire group did not react the same way, but noted that one person did shout obscenities at the board before slamming a door. The person offered to pay for the door, according to Simpson.

McInroy said board meetings will be in a virtual format for the "foreseeable future." Tuesday's meeting was postponed.

The public will not be not permitted to physically attend the meetings, but instead can participate by contacting the office and providing their name, address and telephone number, according to McInroy. He said those wishing to speak during public comment must be district residents or property owners, and comments cannot be vulgar, accusatory or inflammatory.

"But we will listen to what they have to say," he said.

McInroy said there is a lot he would like to share with the community, especially to dispel incorrect information circulating in the community. However, the ongoing litigation does not allow the district to comment on a lot of things, he said.

"There's a lot of misinformation out there that just isn't true. We cannot comment on that because of pending litigation. And we have made that clear to people who have asked us questions about the case. Right now, we just can't answer because the district is being sued," McInroy said.

"We at the school are absolutely devastated by that (Blazier conviction of abusing two children). Throughout the entire process, from the time that this broke two years ago up through today, we continue to cooperate with law enforcement with their investigations," McInroy said.

He said all district personnel, from wrestling coaches to the administration, have and continue to cooperate with law enforcement and the district attorney's office.

Wrestling match canceled

When asked about the protest, McInroy said, "Everyone has the right to protest. That's their First Amendment right, and we respect all people's rights. However, we have had threats."

District officials cited security concerns for canceling a wrestling match scheduled for Thursday.

"We had to make a decision about what is the safest thing for our students and our community members concerning that match," he said. District officials consulted with school security, state police and Bellwood police based on what they heard on social media, as well as statements made to the police that there could be an "issue" at the match.

After weighing the options, which included moving the match to another location and not allowing any spectators, McInroy said officials decided canceling the match was the safest choice. Officials considered rescheduling the match, but district competition was too close, so the match, which would have been senior night, was permanently canceled.

McInroy said the cancellation of the final match was "very troubling," and that officials are working to develop something to celebrate the kids.

"We're trying to do the very best we can for our kids," he said.

Back out at the protest, Simpson said the community members are not responsible for the match's cancellation, but instead it is "Bellwood taking it out on the students by canceling wrestling."