Someone has anonymously threatened Ignacio School Superintendent Rocco Fuschetto and his family if he doesn't resign by April 1.
Fuschetto received the e-mail threat on Feb. 4. It said:
Subject: retire
rocco fuschetto
if you retire someone from your family will die
you do not deserve to retire
quit and nobody will die
you hurt the kids of ignacio
you only care about looks
you wasted money on construction
a new football field didn't equal a winning team
you need to care about students and teachers
ignacio school received failing grades every year you were in charge
you hurt us and if you retire we will hurt you
quit now to save the lives of your family
you have until april 1 2016 to walk away
Fuschetto came to the Times Monday morning to make the threat known and to submit a response letter for publication. Someone went to the trouble to create a fake e-mail account in Russia to send the e-mail, he said. The school board and principals already know about the threat, and he said he planned to notify district staff on Monday.
He said he doesn't plan to resign. He has added security at his house, and more cameras have been added at the schools. The principals will be monitoring all school computers.
Fuschetto said he discussed the threat with his wife and they both agreed about going public with the threat. School board members wanted to make the threat known to the public, as well.
"The school board is 100 percent behind me," he said. "They have been very supportive."
The board trustees extended Fuschetto's contract at their Feb. 11 meeting.
In his response letter, Fuschetto says, "This is not only a threat against myself and my family, but also threatens the security of the school community." He urged anyone with information on the threat to contact Ignacio Police Chief Kirk Phillips or Sgt. Wes Crume at 563-4206. The complete text of his letter is on Page 2.
"Threats of this type solve nothing and change nothing," Fuschetto wrote. "I will not be intimidated into stopping the progress we are making in improving Ignacio Schools and preparing our students for successful future careers."
He concludes, "We are a very welcoming diverse community that is proud of our diversity and acceptance of our differences. This cannot be tolerated in our community and schools, and it is hoped this will be resolved as soon as possible. Any help from the community in solving this crime is greatly appreciated."
Fuschetto has been in charge of the district through planning for and passage of a $50 million bond issue that passd by one vote in 2011, and then through design and construction of a new middle school, major reconstruction of the intermediate school as a K-5 elementary school, and total reconstruction of the high school. The project also included reconstruction of the old weight room/ fine arts room as the administrative offices, and current construction of a bus barn.
