Sussex Central High School staff on leave, residents want answers
GEORGETOWN, Del. – Sussex Central High School has placed some staff members on administrative leave.
The Indian River School District confirms it happened on Monday. But the news is leaving more questions than answers. Officials won’t say who is on leave, how many people are involved, and exactly why they have been placed on leave.
47 ABC spoke to community members near the school Tuesday, some parents saying they were unaware of the situation. Others said they don’t know why the staff would be on leave. There is speculation that those placed on leave are part of the school administration.
The School District says it’s part of an ongoing investigation, however, Delaware State Police tell 47 ABC they are not involved at this time. It’s possible it’s only an internal investigation but the school District has not confirmed it.
They released a statement saying in part:
“Members of the Sussex Central High School staff were placed on administrative leave by the Indian River School District on Monday. This is an ongoing investigation, and state and federal laws protecting the privacy rights of employees prevent the district from commenting further at this time.”
Update: Friday May 26th
Friday the Indian River District released another statement in regard to the staff members placed on leave, it reads quote, “It is a regular practice of the Indian River School District to place employees on paid leave in many circumstances, including when there is an allegation, investigation, complaint, threat against the employee, or other instance warranting paid leave. When an employee is placed on paid leave, this should never be construed as expressing or implying that an employee will face employment action or that an employee may have engaged in any wrongful conduct (of any severity). The District will not provide further comment on this issue.”
Delaware State Police also released a statement today after receiving mutiple inquiries about what exactly took place at Sussex Central.
The statement reads quote, “We have received numerous inquiries regarding an investigation at Sussex Central High School. From the beginning, we have been working with the Department of Justice and Indian River School District, who proactively contacted the Delaware State Police about the incident that occurred at their school. After consultation and review with the Department of Justice, we are conducting a criminal investigation. While it is essential to keep our communities informed, it is equally vital for the DSP to ensure the integrity of the investigation. Providing a safe school environment is of the utmost importance to both DSP and the Indian River School District. We will provide meaningful updates when available. We thank the public for their patience and understanding as the investigation progresses.”
