Lawsuit claims West Mifflin school board retaliated against former athletic director

The complaint was filed Tuesday by Scott Stephenson in federal court.

By PAULA REED WARD
TribLive

West Mifflin Area School District’s former longtime athletic director and boys basketball coach is suing the district and five board members, alleging retaliation after his contract was not renewed.

The complaint, filed Tuesday by Scott Stephenson in federal court, claims the district eliminated his position after he spoke out against the former superintendent and made allegations against the husband of a board member, Gina Englert.

Englert is named as a defendant along with Kevin Squires, Mark Donahoe, Janelle Kopay and Matthew Blazevich.

The lawsuit alleges Englert used her position on the board to target Stephenson because of his political affiliations by “subjecting him to unwarranted scrutiny, refusing to approve requested resources, falsely accusing him of misconduct and criminal behavior and making false and defamatory statements about Mr. Stephenson on her social media platforms.”

Stephenson was a former borough councilman.

Messages left with the district’s solicitor and Englert were not immediately returned Wednesday.

According to the complaint, Stephenson was hired by the district in August 2006 as the activities coordinator, which later became athletic director. In 2018, he also became the basketball coach.

However, in 2020, Stephenson was deposed in a lawsuit against the district by Daniel Castagna, a former superintendent, in a wrongful termination case.

Stephenson testified at trial against Castagna.

The lawsuit alleges that Stephenson was targeted after that.

“Englert was a strong supporter of Castagna. Her targeting of Mr. Stephenson escalated after Mr. Stephenson testified against him,” the complaint said.

In August 2023, the lawsuit continued, current Superintendent Jeffery Soles told Stephenson he intended to ask that the athletic director’s contract be renewed.

Then, on Oct. 6, 2023, Englert’s husband, Brian Englert, had a disagreement with Stephenson during a football game at the West Mifflin stadium’s hospitality suite where school board members, coaches and personnel were socializing.

“Englert shouted, ‘Where they at?’ called Mr. Stephenson and others ‘crooks and losers’ and said to Mr. Stephenson, ‘You know where to find me, I have something waiting for you!’” the complaint said. “Mr. Stephenson interpreted this as a threat of violence against him. Later in the game, Brian Englert posted photographs of Mr. Stephenson on the sidelines while bragging about his behavior in the hospitality suite.”

A few days later, Stephenson spoke to West Mifflin police about what happened, and Brian Englert was charged with impersonating a public servant, criminal trespass and harassment.

Englert, the president of the corrections officers union at Allegheny County Jail, was suspended without pay for 90 days because of the pending charges.

Meanwhile, Soles told Stephenson privately that the board was waiting to see what happened in Englert’s case before making a decision whether to extend Stephenson’s contract.

But on Feb. 15, 2024, while the case was still pending, the board voted 5-4 to open the athletic director position to new candidates.

Two weeks later, Englert pleaded guilty to a summary count of disorderly conduct.

The lawsuit said Stephenson filed a formal complaint with the West Mifflin solicitor on March 18, 2024, against the Englerts for harassment.

Two days after that, according to the complaint, the school board voted 5-4 to eliminate the position of athletic director and create a new position — director of K-12 activities and athletics.

Englert, Donahoe, Kopay, Squires and Blazevich — the defendants — voted in favor.

Although Stephenson applied for the position, the district hired Lance Maha. Maha, the lawsuit said, had only one year of relevant experience, having served as interim athletic director two decades earlier.

The lawsuit also alleges the board froze Stephenson out of his position as basketball coach.

When Stephenson was the only person to apply, the district reopened the position and extended the deadline for candidates to apply. They then solicited another applicant, who was hired.

The lawsuit seeks damages, including lost wages and benefits.

Stephenson is the current athletic director at Ringgold School District.