Canon-Mac Parents Ask For Reprimand For High School Administrator

A group of Canon-McMillan parents expressed their frustration Monday over the discipline handed out by high school Principal David Helinski

Jennifer Carrozza said at Monday's school board meeting that the administration crossed the line and worried about how these types of actions will impact her daughter and other students at the high school.

“Our children are influenced daily by our educators, thus, those educators should be expected to exhibit sociably acceptable, ethical and legal behaviors free from their own personal beliefs and behaviors. I feel it is our responsibility to request the school board to reprimand the educators based on fact-finding as necessary based on their recent actions,” said Carrozza.

According to Carrozza, Helinski reprimanded both her daughter and another student who were selected to be on the homecoming court. She claimed that Helinski told both students that they were an embarrassment and could no longer be on the court.

Carrozza said she does believe some responsibility lies on the parents, but said felt her daughter was going to be safe knowing the party she was attending that night

She said it wasn't until she received a phone call at 2 a.m. to pick up her daughter that she knew something was amiss. She feels the board should examine what she considers negligence on the part of Haney.

“I understand that he wasn't at home, but the point that I take is the fact that the party wasn't at my house. When I'm not at home and I'm away on business there is no party at my house. It is the homeowner's responsibility to ensure children don't do these things,” Carrozza said.

According to several other parents in attendance, Helinski also overstepped his authority when he questioned the students in school without allowing them to call their parents first.

They also said they felt he reached far beyond his rights when he obtained the official police citations the Monday following the Saturday party. Parents did not receive the citations from the North Strabane police until Thursday, those in attendance indicated.

Parents claim Helinski used the citations to intimidate and question students and based punishment on the degree of the citation—something parents don't feel follows the philosophy of innocent until proven guilty.

Another parent in attendence, Bill Graziani, said he feels the district brought undue negative attention to Canon-McMillan by the way the entire incident was handled.

“The school district took it upon itself to inject itself into a legal matter that did not occur on school property, opening itself to litigation,” said Graziani.

According to Graziani, he tracked underage drinking incidents that occurred before and after the party in question, and asked if those students faced the same consequences as the students who attended the party at the Haney residence.

Other parents echoed these concerns for the handling and what they feel was unfair punishment handed down to their children on the part of Helinski. Canon-McMillan parent Kevin LaFrance further questioned Helinski's ability to lead the school academically as well, based on PSSA scores.

“(You have to ask), how is his character, how is his leadership, go back and look at the academics, why we're really at school,” LaFrance said. "It's not working either. Enough is enough. We need change. We need a new leader. We need someone a parent can trust. We need someone a student can trust. Right now, there is no trust there."

Helinski did not immediately return calls to his cell and office phones seeking comment.