Former judge to head up investigation of Pittsfield school

A former Massachusetts Superior Court judge will lead the investigation into allegations of improper or criminal behavior among faculty members at Pittsfield High School, according to our media partners at The Berkshire Eagle.

Mary-Lou Rup served as associated justice for the court from 1992 to 2018. She will head up the probe by the Springfield-based law firm Bulkley Richardson & Gelina LLP.

The investigation is expected to last three months and be completed by the end of March, the paper reported. It will cost the district $275 per hour for the investigation and $110 an hour for paralegal services.

The Pittsfield school district has been rocked by a series of scandals that began with the arrest of high school Dean of Students Lavante Wiggins on a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Two other administrators have been placed on leave – Molly West, another dean of students, and Vice Principal Alison Shepard – in a separate matter from the Wiggins case. Shepard and West were placed on leave in connection with an investigation by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

The district plans to hire a separate law firm to evaluate hiring practices and whether there is adequate human resources staffing to supervise nearly 1,200 employees.