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Former EBR school superintendent on leave, accused of abusing student in PA

4 years 3 months 3 weeks ago Monday, December 02 2019 Dec 2, 2019 December 02, 2019 4:29 PM December 02, 2019 in News
Source: WBRZ

PITTSBURGH, Penn.- The embattled former East Baton Rouge Parish school superintendent known for his combative attitude and abrasive behavior landed in Pennsylvania where he's now accused of abusing a student.

Dr. Bernard Taylor is now a principal at Westinghouse Academy 6-12, and was placed on leave in September for the incident. Currently, he is nowhere to be found on the school's website.

A parent from the school, Javonda Thomas, said she had been complaining that her 14-year old daughter had been bullied. When her daughter got into a fight a school security guard broke it up and that's when Taylor intervened.

"The principal fell onto my daughter, grabbed her by her collar and dragged her down the sidewalk and up cement steps and then slammed her onto the floor inside the school like a rag doll," Thomas said to a reporter from KDKA-TV.

KDKA-TV reported that there are two different investigations. One is being conducted by the Pittsburgh Police Department while the other is being conducted by school police.

"I want Dr. Taylor fired," Thomas said. "I'm going to sue him to the fullest extent for putting his hands on my 14-year-old child."

Taylor's tumultuous time in Baton Rouge ended in 2015 when the school board did not renew his contract. He was released a month early from his three-year contract. During his tenure here, the state launched an investigation into cheating and records being changed.

In 2014, Chief Investigative Reporter Chris Nakamoto with the WBRZ Investigative Unit had the opportunity to ask Taylor about the records:

    NAKAMOTO: Were any records changed in this building yesterday?

    TAYLOR: You know, that question is so foolish, I'm not going to entertain it as a question, next.

    NAKAMOTO: Were you aware of any records being changed in this building?

    TAYLOR: I'm not going to entertain any question that has no legitimacy with an answer.

    NAKAMOTO: Did you change any records in this building?

    TAYLOR: Do you have another question?

Taylor landed in Pittsburgh after his brief stint in Baton Rouge. Prior to Baton Rouge he was the superintendent in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He left there, and filed a lawsuit which ended in a $260,000 settlement.

With Taylor now on leave again, it appears his alleged antics manifested into something physical.

Thomas said she spoke to Taylor about the alleged abuse her daughter endured.

"His response to me was they don't need to be down here acting like monkeys," Thomas said.

We reached out to the Pittsburgh School System, but did not hear back. The police department there said it can't comment on pending investigations.

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