Parent banned from Greater Johnstown premises for disruptive behavior at recent school board meeting

Jul. 28—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Jessica Spory, mother of a former Greater Johnstown student, has been forbidden from stepping foot on the district grounds for one calendar year by the school board after a review of her "behavior and threatening nature" at a July 12 special meeting.

Spory was alerted to the immediate ban by letter on Wednesday from solicitor Ronald N. Repak, of the Beard Legal Group.

The correspondence from the attorney states that Spory's actions were not only observed, but "corroborated on video," and that she "accosted the board and engaged in threatening behavior when you got out of your seat and began to physically approach the board yelling, screaming and making threats towards board members as you continued to approach them."

"As a board, we took the standpoint that, if people think you can come to a board meeting and act this way and nothing happens, then we will never be able to have a public meeting with any decorum," Repak said in a phone interview.

Spory said she wasn't surprised when she received the notice from Greater Johnstown, although she disputes that she made any threats toward the elected officials.

"I feel like they want to silence anybody that stands up, and I'm going to stand up for ... anybody's kids," she said.

The parent began speaking out against the district in February when she said her daughter, who's since enrolled elsewhere, was allegedly physically assaulted by a teacher.

That was an incident in which staff attempted to regain control of students in the cafeteria after a fight among several learners broke out, which her daughter was not involved in.

Spory has been to a few board meetings since then and attended the July 12 gathering with a group of parents and community members to share their anger regarding a motion to extend Greater Johnstown Superintendent Amy Arcurio's contract by three years.

This action was passed 7-2, more than a year prior to the end of Arcurio's current contract.

Spory and the the others expressed their displeasure with the decision during public comments and later continued to interrupt the board as the members attempted to handle regular business.

She said she was devastated by the extension "because that means there's no change for these kids." She said she obviously got emotional.

Spory said she doesn't believe Arcurio has the students' best interests in mind.

Tempers eventually flared at the meeting and a heated exchange between the two groups began, leading to an executive session being called by President Eugene Pentz.

As the board members exited, the visitors continued to hurl insults and expletives at them. This is when Spory is accused of advancing toward the members, and assistant to the superintendent Michael Dadey stepped forward to block her path.

She said she took those steps forward when someone told her to "walk a mile in Amy Arcurio's shoes," which Spory said she responded that they should walk a mile in the parents' shoes.

During the executive session, Johnstown police were called to the administrative building on Broad Street because of the disturbance and remained in the board room for the final minutes of the meeting once it resumed.

No other guests received a letter from the solicitor.

Repak said Spory was singled out because, upon review of the video, she was the only individual who aggressively advanced toward the board in addition to her alleged threats.

"That goes beyond your First Amendment privilege," he said, adding that Spory has a streak of disruptive behavior with the district.

Repak also noted that the school directors did not interrupt or prevent any of those who spoke during public comments from voicing their opinions.

The letter references the McNett v. Jefferson- Morgan School District case, which involved a parent who repeatedly berated and threatened the district's football coach, as precedent for the ban.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania opinion for that matter states the district is within its rights to ban a parent for disruptive behavior.

Cunningham v. Lenape Regional High District Board of Education is referenced in the case as a reason to support such action.

"School districts are permitted to restrict access to school property where the same is necessary to maintain tranquility and to protect against disruptive conduct," the opinion says.

Additionally, the judge cited other cases that state the "right to free speech is not limitless" and that "the Supreme Court has held, for example, that even peaceful communication may be restricted through reasonable measures where it interferes with 'vital governmental facilities.' The Constitution does not leave the government powerless to protect against disruptive conduct, even speech, in public places such as schools 'that require peace and quiet to carry out their functions.' "

If Spory violates the ban, she could be arrested for trespassing.

The letter states that if she has official business with the district, she must contact her student's principal to schedule an appointment and can continue to address the board with her concerns by contacting the secretary.

The Greater Johnstown mother said she doesn't plan to fight the ban, but will continue to speak out against the district.

"Somebody has to fight for these kids," she said.