BC-PA--Pennsylvania News Digest, PA

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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Following a legally mandated hearing Monday morning, Wilkes-Barre Area School District suspended a teacher with pay for violating contract policy regarding alcohol, Solicitor Ray Wendolowski said.</p><p>The district has not released a name or details, but sources have confirmed the teacher is Christopher Gray and the incident involved drinking alcohol before and/or during a state playoff basketball game March 9 in Pottsville. Gray went to the game, a PIAA playoff involving the Meyers High School boys team, on a chartered bus.</p><p>Gray teaches at Dodson Elementary and coaches girls basketball at Meyers.</p><p>Wendolowski said the district held a &#8220;Loudermill hearing&#8221; as required by law before any disciplinary action takes place, and Gray was suspended following the hearing. Gray could face termination under the terms of the contract, which bars teachers from drinking or reporting to work with alcohol on their breath. The clause extends to attendance at school-sponsored events.</p><p>Gray is entitled to a hearing before the school board within 45 days before such action could take place.</p><p>Wendolowski said the incident is still under investigation by the district. Gray is also facing DUI charges from the same evening. According to Wilkes-Barre police, he crashed his cars shortly before 11 p.m. that night on Reliance Drive and was subsequently taken for a blood alcohol content test.</p><p>At the time of the incident involving Gray, the district was already dealing with five other teachers at GAR Memorial High School who have been suspended with pay as a result of an alcohol-related incident. No names or details have been released, but sources have confirmed the five were drinking while serving as chaperones at a junior high dance. According to sources, the five are Mollie Evans, Jason Lukachinsky, Jill Wujcik, Glenn Zimmerman and Corey Brenner.</p><p>Wendolowski also said Superintendent Bernard Prevuznak is arranging a meeting with all teaching staff about the issue.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Meyers girls basketball coach Chris Gray talks about the school&#8217;s team during a Wyoming Valley Conference&#8217;s coaches meeting on Nov. 30, 2014 at Uptown II restaurant in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_ChrisGrayCMYK.jpg</photo0><caption0>Meyers girls basketball coach Chris Gray talks about the school&#8217;s team during a Wyoming Valley Conference&#8217;s coaches meeting on Nov. 30, 2014 at Uptown II restaurant in Wilkes-Barre. </caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader file </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre Area suspends teacher with pay in another alcohol-related incident