Nearly three months after the Woodland Hills School District abruptly put Superintendent Dr. Joe Maluchnik on paid administrative leave, families are still in the dark about what sparked the move and what the ongoing investigation will turn up. One board member claims Maluchnik was sidelined for digging into past spending, and state and local officials are now pressing for clarity. In the meantime, the district is operating without its top administrator while questions about contracts and finances only grow louder.
Board and lawmakers press for answers
State Rep. Abigail Salisbury has publicly asked the Pennsylvania attorney general and the Allegheny County district attorney to review district spending after her constituents voiced concerns, according to WPXI. Board President Terri Lawson responded that Salisbury has not set forth any specific allegations and pointed out that the district’s fund balance is in solid shape, the station reports. District officials say state law prevents them from publicly discussing details of personnel matters while an outside review is underway, a stance that has done little to quiet speculation.
Investigation centers on contracts
In November, the school board hired an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation, and there is already a draft report, with Maluchnik given time to respond, according to CBS Pittsburgh. Minority board member Darnika Reed has accused fellow directors of trying to force Maluchnik out after he raised red flags about how the district handles procurement. “I believe wholeheartedly the superintendent is a whistleblower,” Reed stated.
Reporting identifies a roughly $20 million renovation of Edgewood Elementary STEAM Academy as one of the projects under the microscope, and notes that the district approved a change order of more than $600,000 after the general contractor was required to pay prevailing wages, according to CBS Pittsburgh. Those numbers have added fuel to community demands for a closer look at how big-ticket contracts are vetted and approved.
Calls for outside review
After residents repeatedly pressed the board for transparency, Salisbury took the extra step of asking state and county prosecutors to intervene. The attorney general’s office has told local reporters the matter appears to fall under local jurisdiction, according to WTAE. District leaders have responded by encouraging lawmakers to bring specific questions directly to administrators and have emphasized that they are bound by confidentiality rules when it comes to personnel issues.
Parents and taxpayers, not satisfied with those assurances, say they plan to keep pressing for a public accounting of contracts and spending, including who approved what and when.
District context and community reaction
Reporting notes that Woodland Hills has long struggled with academic performance, with many students testing below proficiency in key subjects, and that the community has also endured a series of youth homicides in recent years, a backdrop that has intensified demands for accountability, according to CBS Pittsburgh. Recent public meetings have been packed with residents asking for documents, explanations and some sign that district leaders are leveling with them…