Former School Board Member Testifies In Plum Grand Jury Investigation

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A former school board member testified Thursday as a grand jury continues to investigate the alleged sex scandal in Plum High School.

The investigation stems from the arrests of two teachers, both charged with institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors.

In the end, teachers may have abused as many as eight female students over eight years.

At 8:30 a.m. Thursday, former Plum School Board member Joe Tommarello, the youngest school board member who resigned earlier this year, arrived at the place where the grand jury has been meeting for weeks.

When he resigned he said he alerted district officials early on that something was wrong, long before any teacher was charged with anything, but only an internal investigation was conducted.

"I don't think the school district is qualified to run a criminal investigation," Tommarello said last month.

The administration, though, said the information Tommarello provided was denied by the student and their family.

Still, Tommarello thought the police should have been involved long ago.

All he would say after his one and a half hours of testimony was this: "I'm grateful for the opportunity provided to me by the district attorney to talk here today to help justice prevail, and to hopefully end the corruption that is happening in the Plum Borough School District,."

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office will not comment on the ongoing investigation, but when District Attorney Stephen Zappala was asked about the focus of his probe in April he said this:

KDKA's Harold Hayes: "Any concerns about either the current or past administrations as to who knew what and when?"

Zappala: "Yes."

Hayes: "Current or past?"

Zappala: "We're going through dozens of interviews right now."

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