Community Shows Support for MASD’s Wanzo

As rumors swirl, crowd packs board meeting for superintendent

By Adam Reinherz
The Tube City Almanac
August 14, 2024
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

(Adam Reinherz photo for Tube City Almanac)

Residents packed a McKeesport Area School Board meeting on Tuesday to demonstrate support for district Superintendent Tia Wanzo.

With school scheduled to begin in just a few days, rumors have begun swirling that Wanzo’s job may be in jeopardy.

McKeesport resident Julian Thomas championed Wanzo during Tuesday's board meeting.

“I've had the privilege as a police officer to work side by side with her for over a decade, and I'll tell you, there's nobody more fit to run the school. I support her 100 percent,” he said. “Me and her disagree probably more than anybody else sitting at the table, but I support her 100 percent to be the superintendent of the school.”

Thomas implored the board to stand behind its superintendent.

“I know just about everybody at this table. Some of you I have knocked on doors for. Some of you, I have taken your literature, handed it out to people, told them, ‘Hey, vote for this guy. Trust this guy.’ This is why I handed out your literature, because right now we need you to make the right decision.”

McKeesport resident Fawn Walker-Montgomery questioned the board’s motives.

“There are some school board members who are engaging in power grabs, manipulation of the system or weaponizing the system against Black and Brown people for their own personal gain due to bias, sexism, racism, all the wonderful isms that live in our great city of McKeesport,” she said. “I’m sick of them weaponizing the system against Black leaders.”

Wanzo is the first Black superintendent in MASD’s 140-year history.

The McKeesport Area High School graduate, who holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University, began her career in 2001 as a fifth-grade teacher at Francis McClure Elementary School and served multiple positions in the district — including second-grade teacher, assistant principal, head principal and assistant superintendent — before becoming superintendent in July 2022.

The board’s treatment of Wanzo is baffling, Walker-Montgomery said: “Our first Black superintendent you want to get rid of without letting us know, without working things out, talking? It's not acceptable.”

McKeesport resident Seasons Williams said Wanzo has “done a good job serving the community, along with supporting the parents, the teachers and the students who have graduated.”

The board is cloaking its behavior, Williams said. “We need transparency. I think that the community needs to have a say in situations like this.”

“What has she done to even justify this, to even have it be a conversation,” Walker-Montgomery asked.

Board members declined to comment on whether Wanzo’s employment was under scrutiny.

School Board President Mark Holtzman said only that the superintendent’s contract is “in place.”

Solicitor Gary Matta said he was puzzled by the conversation: “There's no action item against the superintendent.”

When asked for a response to comments made by community members during Tuesday’s meeting, Matta said, “I have no idea what they’re talking about.”

Wanzo declined to speak about the controversy. She wished staff, students, families and the community a “successful and safe school year.”

“It's truly an honor to have led this phenomenal district thus far. The love shown in this room today is the same love that I have for MASD, so thank you, and I appreciate all of you,” she said.

Given the meeting’s timing — students are still on summer vacation — a primary feature of Wanzo’s tenure was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

Since taking MASD’s helm, Wanzo has highlighted students’ achievements by inviting young adults to stand before the board and receive public recognition during scheduled meetings.

“I think that that needs to continue,” she said.

With school starting next week there will be ample opportunities to keep celebrating students, Wanzo said. “They are the reason why we’re here.”

Adam Reinherz is a Pittsburgh-based writer. He can be reached at adam.reinherz@gmail.com.

Originally published August 14, 2024.

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