BVA director apologizes to student

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

A Belle Vernon Area board member is apologizing for his tone, but not for his words Monday to a high school senior who was one of several students who approached the board about graduation.

Joel Whiteko said Tuesday that he apologized after the meeting to Hannah Lanham for raising his voice when he responded to her Monday night.

“I shouted a little bit. I regret it. I probably shouldn’t have done it, but I can’t change it. I apologized,” Whiteko said.

“It was kind of a very insincere apology,” Lanham said. “It was sad to see a board member for a school I attend behave in that manner. I tried to keep my cool.”

Lanham had proposed that the district utilize the various entrances to James Weir Stadium to consider the graduation as being held at six separate venues, thereby increasing the total number of people who could attend while still socially distancing. 

“It is what it is; 2020 was a bad year. It’s a pandemic,” Whiteko told the students.

Whiteko said his own school years in the district had difficulties, too.

“I went to Bellmar Junior High when we had mine subsidence. I went to the high school from 1 to 6 at night. It was a horrible year, but it’s what happened,” Whiteko said.

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