Robert Slisz was a teacher and boys varsity basketball coach at the Pine Valley Central School District in Chautauqua County, New York. His position as both a teacher and a coach made him someone students trusted greatly in and outside of class.
Local reports stated that concerns about Slisz had been circulating among staff for quite some time. The discussion became much more widespread after December 2025, when the situation came to light.
On December 3, 2025, the sheriff’s department responded to a complaint from the Pine Valley School District regarding Slisz, a 33-year-old Hamburg resident. The Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Division carried out its probe and charged him with Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, Forcible Touching, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
Later, Slisz turned himself in to Chautauqua County Jail for arraignment. He is expected to respond to these charges in the Town of Cherry Creek Court, while the active investigation continues.
This whole thing is giving many a case of the fits, as it is with any bad news concerning people who work with children every day. I remember how much we students trusted them. Teachers and coaches were the people we looked up to. Then something like this comes through with full steam to destroy that trust and make you question everything.
After the arrest, Pine Valley Superintendent Shanda DuClon spoke out about the issue. The school district shared a public Facebook post she wrote. In it, the district stated that it was aware of the employee’s arrest and that, as soon as concerns were raised, the employee had been placed on leave.
The post mentioned that the district is working in full collaboration with law enforcement, with the safety of the students being of utmost importance. Parents’ and families’ concerns were addressed with assurances that measures were in place to protect students and maintain the school’s safe environment.
Superintendent DuClon encouraged anyone with helpful information to come forward to the district or to the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department. She clarified that, due to privacy laws and the ongoing investigation, they can’t disclose any more information about the case at this time.
Soon after, the post went up, and people responded very strongly in the community. Some felt angered and worried about students’ safety, while others thought that the school should have acted much sooner on the matter. One story making headlines said the school should be held accountable for not acting on this for 2 or 3 years after it was reported.
A person in such a serious position, facing these sorts of allegations, strikes fear and mistrust throughout an entire community. Therefore, a thorough and fair investigation into this case is pertinent in order for the truth to be revealed so people can begin to feel safe again. You may also be interested in: Hinton High School Wrestler and Football Player Nicholas Saint Lindley Dies in Car Accident
