The Atascadero Unified School District school board, on Mar. 18, 2025, voted not to push through with a controversial pick for the superintendent position after facing backlash from parents and staff.
Parents and staff criticized the school board's selection process, even after trustees ensured that they would not hire their first choice. Previously, the board considered E.J. Rossi, the district's assistant superintendent of education services, as the top candidate.
Rejection of School Superintendent Candidate
However, concerns about the choice have surfaced over the past few weeks. In a survey and at a Mar. 4, 2025, school board meeting, there was also widespread disapproval of Rossi's hiring for the position.
The concerns raised were primarily due to the candidate's allegations of misappropriation of public funds while working as a superintendent and principal in the San Ardo Union School District.
A grand jury report also investigated Rossi's promotion within the Atascadero district in 2009, noting that he paid more than $30,000 to San Ardo as part of a settlement agreement. He had previously denied any criminal wrongdoing, according to The Tribune.
Read more: Poor Children Missing More School, Lagging Further Behind Years After COVID-19 Pandemic, Study Finds
Although the school board did not select Rossi as the new superintendent of the Atascadero School District, parents, and staff still had some words for the trustees.
On Tuesday night, parents and teachers discussed their frustrations with the school district's process. One parent, Stephanie Drexler, said that many teachers feared retaliation for publicly opposing Rossi's consideration.
Allegations of Misappropriation of Funds
The report of Rossi's misappropriation of funds allegedly involved $54,000 in district funds, $32,000 of which he returned as part of the settlement agreement. Some argued that the situation should not have gotten this far before the board listened to the people, the Atascadero News reported.
When it announced that it would no longer consider Rossi, the school board said it had considered a "significant amount of public input from the community." It added that it would continue the search for the next district superintendent.
Trustee Denise McGrew-Kane said they simply want to ensure that the board and the community support the individual who becomes the school district's next leader. They added that they are committed to a process that "will work toward building trust."
Another issue the community had with Rossi was that in 2009, parents of Atascadero High School cheerleaders claimed that he refused to refund payments made for items the students never actually received, among other issues, as reported by CalCoastNews.
