School District to Meet With Family Court Judge Regarding Alleged Bias in Custody Case

By Richard Finch Jr.
The Tube City Almanac
September 27, 2019
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

A portion of the transcript provided by family members. (Photo via Facebook.)

The superintendent of McKeesport Area School District will meet with an Allegheny County judge who reportedly called the school system substandard.

According to family members, the fact that the child’s mother lived in McKeesport was the deciding factor in awarding custody to the child’s father.

At Wednesday’s board meeting, Superintendent Mark Holtzman Jr. confirmed Judge Kathryn Hens-Greco will tour the school district with him on Oct. 25.

Hens-Greco’s remarks were reportedly made Aug. 7 during a child custody hearing. What appears to be an official court transcript was posted on Facebook by the child’s mother and has been widely circulated.

“My grandson was taken from my daughter because the judge doesn’t like McKeesport,” Anita Gricar of Glassport told the school board. “This now sets a precedent. Anyone (from McKeesport) going before Judge Hens-Greco, they could lose their child.”

Her grandson, 11, is currently attending school in a district more than an hour away, where his father lives. Family members said as a result, he was separated from five siblings.

"He is a gifted child," Hens-Greco said, according to the transcript posted on Facebook. "He is in what would be fairly described as a school district that has significant difficulties with attendance, discipline, crime. And he would be enrolled in a superior program, if he was allowed to relocate."

The transcript could not be independently verified. Allegheny County Family Court records involving the custody of minor children are confidential and not available to the public.

Holtzman said plans for his meeting with Hens-Greco took considerable time to work out.

“We did make plans for her to spend the day with me,” Holtzman said. “On our end, I will guarantee you we’re going to visit every single school, and she or anyone else ... will have a different perspective on our district when they leave.”

School board solicitor Gary Matta told Gricar the district has a strong interest in making sure the judge’s comments are addressed.

“I can assure you this a pretty serious issue and I think the court realizes that they need to address this as well,” Matta said. “The district will go through the process ... hopefully that process will assist you as well, so this type of issue does not happen in the court system.”

School board president Joe Lopretto said he is aware of the situation and talked to the student’s mother as well as fellow administrators.

“I’m behind you 100 percent,” Lopretto said. “I don’t care what anyone says, our schools are top notch.”

During city council’s September meeting, McKeesport Mayor Mike Cherepko called the comments that were attributed to Hans-Greco “absolutely inaccurate.”

“I don't care how much I love my city, if you think for one second my wife and I would put our children in the school district if I thought they were in danger, it's the most ridiculous thought,” Cherepko said. “For this judge to jump to this conclusion is outrageous.”

Cherepko said the city was sending a letter of support and had reached out to the school district as well.

Richard Finch Jr. is a freelance writer who covers news from McKeesport Area School District and North Versailles Twp. for Tube City Almanac. He may be reached at finchr43@gmail.com. Tube City Almanac Editor Jason Togyer contributed to this story. He may be reached at jtogyer@gmail.com.

Originally published September 27, 2019.

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