Major Pittsburgh-Area School District Shakeup After Criminal Charges Filed

PITTSBURGH, PA — The president of a Pittsburgh-area school board is stepping down from that role after being charged with multiple felonies and her future status on the board itself is uncertain.

The Woodland Hills School District on Wednesday plans to reorganize the board president and vice president posts Wednesday as current president Terri Lawson, 52, of Edgewood has resigned from her president's position.

"The board will take action to fill the vacancy at the meeting," the district said in an online statement. "The board is currently evaluating options relating to her current service on the board."

Lawson she allegedly misused a credit card when she was manager of one of the district's boroughs. She is accused of accumulating nearly $10,000 in charges on a card that was used at a marijuana dispensary, restaurants, liquor stores, numerous retailers and a utility bill.

According to court documents, Lawson, the former Rankin Borough manager has been charged with two counts of theft by deception, a count of access device fraud, forgery and tampering with records or identification.

The criminal charges came less than a month after state Rep. Abigail Salisbury called on Pennsylvania and Allegheny County legal authorities to investigate Woodland Hills for possible misspending activities.

The district statement also addressed the uncertain status of superintendent Joe Maluchnik, who has been on paid administrative leave for undisclosed reasons since November.

"The superintendent's current administrative leave has been changed to military leave during his attendance at an annual training. His administrative and military leave is unrelated to any allegations of district fund misuse," the district release stated.

"We will continue to operate with integrity and always in the best interests of our school community and the students we serve."