photo by: Shelley Hanson

The Marshall County Board of Education holds its meeting at the Grave Creek Mound Complex on Tuesday evening. Superintendent Shelby Haines explained steps the district is taking to review its special education procedures. Also, one mother spoke out about an alleged case of abuse at McNinch Primary School.

MOUNDSVILLE — Marshall County Schools Superintendent Shelby Haines explained what steps the school district is taking following the alleged choking of a 6-year-old autistic McNinch Primary School student by a now-former teacher who is facing criminal charges.

But before Haines made her statement during Tuesday’s board of education meeting, one parent expressed their frustration and concern about the situation.

Alissa Schwing, mother of an autistic child who is a McNinch student, said she had complained about the accused teacher, Kiersten Moses, in October and nothing was done.

Schwing noted her son was not the child who was allegedly choked, but that he attends the same class.

“What does someone have to do to get fired in Marshall County Schools?” Schwing said. “Because after irrefutable proof of assault and several policy violations (Moses) was placed back in the classroom.”

Schwing said Haines had “signed off on a one-day suspension.” Haines declined to comment on Schwing’s statements regarding her.

“Why was so little done? We know the nature of what was on that video thanks to recent legal documents.” she said. “Why was so much done to protect and cover up the actions of Kiersten Moses? Instead of anyone protecting the children in her room.”

In addition to Moses, McNinch Principal Jane Duffy and Special Programs Director Erin Cuffaro are also facing criminal charges stemming from the incident. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Schwing said she and other parents have been waiting for the board and Haines to “right some wrongs.”

“Extra measures have been taken to protect those who have fallen behind the standard of care,” Schwing said. “We are fed up. We have been patient. … It’s as though you have doubled down in your defense of this abuse. The parents are exhausted with being patient. The conduct of this administration is a betrayal for all special needs families. How can we trust sending any of our kids to school? How can we trust if something this awful happens again that it will be handled any differently?”

Schwing also commended the classroom aides for speaking out about what happened.

She asked the board to terminate the employment of Cuffaro. She also asked the board to investigate Haines’ conduct.

In her report, Haines said she, the assistant superintendent and directors have been diligently reviewing special education procedures.

“I have asked every principal to send me a list of any special education concerns they have and they have all done so,” Haines said.

“We have begun speaking about the assistance that they need and how to solve those concerns. (Retired Marshall County Schools administrator Scott) Varner is serving as the administrator at McNinch primary.”

Haines also said an independent agency will review the district’s Special Programs department.

“This company will also provide an independent review of past, present and future video footage from all schools,” she said.

“This same agency will provide on-site training and support for curriculum, classroom structure and behavior multiple days a month at McNinch and will participate in professional learning communities.”

Haines added that all schools have been “trained and retrained on proper reporting and documentation.”

“Bowles Rice was here this afternoon and worked with principals on difficult scenarios as tabletop discussions and how the law applies to each of them,” she said. “The county office staff will continue to support our administrators and teachers to the best of our abilities.”

Moses is no longer employed with the school district. Duffy and Cuffaro “are currently not working while the school district continues to cooperate with the West Virginia State Police throughout their investigation,” Haines said previously.

According to criminal complaints, Moses is accused of putting her hands around the throat of the 6-year-old student and squeezing. A teacher’s aide in the room informed Duffy, who informed Cuffaro, according to the complaints.

Allegedly, neither Duffy nor Cuffaro reported the incident to the Child Abuse Hotline, which is their obligation as mandatory reporters. When questioned as to why she didn’t report the incident, Duffy allegedly showed a state trooper a text message from Cuffaro telling her to just talk to Moses about the incident and not give a verbal warning.

When the state trooper questioned Cuffaro, she allegedly told the trooper she did tell Duffy to give a verbal warning and claimed she never sent the text, showing the trooper her phone. According to the complaint, the trooper saw that all text messages in Cuffaro’s phone from when that message was sent and earlier had been deleted. Cuffaro allegedly later admitted she did in fact send the text.

Moses faces a felony count of strangulation, two felony counts of battery and assault of a disabled child and one count of felony child abuse.

Cuffaro faces eight counts of felony gross neglect of child creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury; one misdemeanor count of failure to report child abuse or neglect; one misdemeanor count of obstruction of law enforcement, probation, parole, court security, corrections officer with threats of harm; and one misdemeanor count of interference with officers or members and false information.

Duffy faces one misdemeanor count of failure to report child abuse or neglect.