School board harassment complaint lands in court

ST. LOUIS -- A lawyer for St. Louis Public Schools is seeking a hearing over whether a school board member can be held in contempt of court for the alleged harassment of an employee.

School board administrative assistant Wanda Penrose filed a harassment complaint against board member Rochell Moore last month. According to the motion filed by school district attorney Steve Wright, Penrose said Moore called her after the complaint was filed.

Penrose said Moore told her that God was a vengeful God and would smite anyone who laid a hand on his little baby girl, according to the motion.

Circuit Judge Robert H. Dierker has said retaliating or intimidating a witness could be considered indirect criminal contempt. If he grants the motion, there will be a hearing into the matter. Dierker will decide whether any wrongdoing took place.

Moore has said the allegations of harassment are untrue. Her attorney, Patrick J. McCarthy, said he would not be baited into discussing it.

"I'm not surprised by the motion," McCarthy said. "They've got a weak position."

Board members Moore and Amy Hilgemann had sued to force the board president to release an investigation of their conduct by the board's attorney. The investigation into the two board members conduct followed months of tension between the two and the board majority.