DCF Clears Two Pittsfield High Administrators
PITTSFIELD, Mass.—The Department of Children and Families has reportedly cleared two Pittsfield High School administrators of misconduct: Dean of Students Molly West and Vice Principal Alison Shepard.
On Friday, School Committee Chair William Cameron confirmed that DCF’s 51A investigation of allegations of abuse or neglect made against PHS Dean of Students Molly West was unsupported.
"(Superintendent Joseph Curtis) told me yesterday that his office has received formal notice from DCF that the agency's investigation of those allegations has been completed, and that the allegations were found to be unsupported," Cameron wrote VIA email.
Earlier in the week, he announced that the first part of a committee-initiated investigation led by Mary-Lou Rup, a retired Superior Court judge, was completed and West, one of the school’s two deans, was cleared by Rup.
iBerkshires inquired about the DCF investigation running parallel. On Thursday, Cameron said the district has reason to believe that DCF's investigation has cleared West, but he did 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," he wrote.
"I have not seen formal confirmation of this from DCF. Apparently, its report to Dr. Bishop was provided through a conversation."
The Berkshire Eagle Wednesday night reported that DCF has determined that allegations of misconduct against PHS Vice Principal Alison Shepard were unsupported. The Eagle also reported that DCF cleared Berkshire Family YMCA staff member Taverick "Tank" Roberson in January and he returned from administrative leave.
West and Shepard were placed on administrative leave in December in the wake of investigations by the Department of Children and Families. A couple of 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 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.
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