We, the undersigned, stand in strong opposition to the serious and damaging allegations being circulated about Mr. Derose

Accusations of racism, harassment, and mistreatment are extraordinarily serious. They can destroy a person’s reputation, career, and standing in a community. What is particularly concerning is that these accusations appear to have emerged in the aftermath of an accident that occurred outside of school property, with Mr. DeRose now being blamed for circumstances surrounding that incident and, in turn, being subjected to allegations of racism, harassment, and mistreatment. These are separate and extremely serious claims that should not be treated as established fact simply because they have been repeated publicly or posted on social media. An accident that occurred outside of the school environment should not become the basis for assigning blame to an educator or for making unrelated allegations that can permanently damage his reputation and career.

These allegations are not only serious—they are completely contradictory to the long-standing reputation this teacher has built through years of service to students, families, colleagues, and the school community.

An accusation is not a finding of fact. Mr. DeRose deserves fairness, dignity, and the opportunity for the facts to speak for themselves.

We stand firmly behind the person and educator we know Mr. DeRose to be, and we call upon our community to stand for truth, fairness, and due process rather than allowing unsubstantiated allegations to define a person’s character or erase a reputation built over many years.