SOUTH HADLEY — Families at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School are raising concerns to state officials after an educator, removed from a classroom for six weeks following allegations of sexual misconduct, was reinstated in December when a school investigation determined there was no wrongdoing.

At least one family recently filed a complaint with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Civil Rights over the treatment of their daughter, while 17 families signed onto a letter that went to the state agency, providing extensive details outlining what they view as an insufficient school response, not following proper Title IX investigation procedures, and poor handling of the teacher’s return by the administration and board of trustees.

One of those spearheading the correspondence with the state is Emily Pfeiffer, who said she has a 24-year relationship with the school, as both a current parent and spouse of a PVPA educator.

“We just don’t have any trust with this administration,” Pfeiffer said in a phone interview. “I feel like they aren’t taking this very seriously; they didn’t follow the procedures.”

“I can’t trust the administration to keep my kid safe,” Pfeiffer said.

The mother of the 12-year-old student who brought forward the allegations told the Gazette that the teacher touched her daughter’s arm, leg, back and shoulder, rubbed her thigh and got into her personal space in the classroom over a one-month period last fall. When her daughter told him to stop, he grew angry with her. The mother, who is not named to protect her child, said her daughter tried to handle the situation on her own before letting another staff member know about it.

School officials say they found no evidence to support the allegations.

“It took a lot for her to be brave enough to speak up,” the mother said, speaking emotionally about how at first she had confidence that the administration was doing the right thing.

She said Head of School Brent Nielsen eventually dismissed the complaint and brought the teacher back, and that he and trustees have been unwilling throughout to hear more from the parents.

Pfeiffer said the sense is that a formal Title IX investigation was needed and that the correct Title IX procedures weren’t followed by Nielsen. “It was never his to decide,” Pfeiffer said. Families also asked for a special trustees meeting that wasn’t granted, despite the situation. “For families, it felt like an emergency,” Pfeiffer said.

Latrina L. Denson, president of the PVPA board, provided a statement to the Gazette that the school’s mission is providing students with a safe, supportive and challenging learning environment that empowers them through critical thinking and performing arts, and sets them up to succeed in college and beyond.

In October, school officials became aware of the allegations, Denson said, and following school protocol, Nielsen placed the teacher on leave and began an internal investigation that lasted six weeks.

“The results of that investigation were that there was no wrongdoing,” Denson said. “In an effort to provide support for students and parents, PVPA staff regularly monitored the classroom once the teacher returned.”

Denson also acknowledged that the board received a complaint against Nielsen related to his handling of the initial investigation.

“The board looked into the complaint and determined they were based on a significant misunderstanding of the facts involved,” Denson said. “Accordingly, the board found the complaint against the head of school to be without merit.

“We take all claims and allegations seriously and are committed to addressing them in accordance with our established policies and procedures.”

Families received their own correspondence from the board, seemingly closing the case: “Please be assured that PVPA would never allow a teacher to return to work if they had been found to have engaged in the type of behavior alleged in your complaint. There was simply no evidence that any such behavior occurred.”

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.