Laurel Highlands School Board suspends, fires staff accused of sexual abuse
Members of the Laurel Highlands School Board voted to fire one teacher and suspend another after both men were accused of inappropriate contact with students.
Following a special meeting Tuesday, the board voted to fire Martin Gatti, who was charged March 19 and accused of attempting to sexually assault a girl at the school earlier this year. The board suspended Daniel Cervone, who allegedly admitted to police he had a sexual relationship with a student between September 2019 and July 2020.
While the men were charged less than one week apart, police said the incidents are not related.
“(W)e are appalled and disgusted by the allegations against our staff members,” district Superintendent Dr. Jesse Wallace said in an emailed statement. “The health, safety, and welfare of our students has and will remain at the forefront of what we do, and the actions of these individuals do not define the Laurel Highlands School District educational staff.”
A female student who does not have class with Gatti reportedly told police she was uncomfortable when he called her into his classroom on Jan. 9, so she asked a friend to wait for her in the hall. Court paperwork alleged Gatti, a former Uniontown councilman, pressured the girl to give him a kiss. She told police she felt “obligated,” and then told Gatti, 50, that a friend was coming.
Police said the girl, who is under 16, provided a recording of the exchange.
Cervone, 50, of Monongahela, was charged Tuesday after a former student came forward and told police the two frequently kissed in his office, and had sex once in early 2020 when she was sophomore. The girl was between 15 and 16 when the alleged contact occurred, police said.
Cervone, an Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor, confessed when police took him into custody on Tuesday, court paperwork stated.
Wallace said that district leaders will look at current policies for improvement associated with student safety, and continue to report inappropriate behavior to police.
“I am keenly aware of the community, students, and staff distrust as a result of these circumstances. To that point, we are working to provide increased training and resources to ensure that the ethics associated with being an educator align with (Pennsylvania Department of Education) standards,” he said.
Both men face charges of corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor. Cervone faces an additional charge of sexual contact with a student; Gatti faces an additional charge of attempted sexual contact with a student.
Gatti is free on a $40,000 unsecured bond.
Cervone was initially sent to the Fayette County jail after failing to post $20,000 bail. He was later released on electronic home monitoring.