Pueblo school board members won’t explain decision against hiring winning coach

Terry Montoya is worried that his days of teaching art may be numbered because of a recent decision made by the Pueblo City Schools’ Board of Education.

“They really don’t have to justify why they make those decisions,” said Montoya, referring to the board’s 3-2 vote against hiring him for the head baseball coach position at East High School. Montoya has been an art teacher at East for nine years.

“If I were Mr. Montoya, I would be worried about my teaching job, especially with the people that were voted in,” said outgoing board member Rose Holloway.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 uncovered emails that show Frank Latino, who was just elected onto the school board, and his son, D.J. Latino, raised concerns to board president Kathy DeNiro about hiring Montoya to coach baseball at East.

In D.J. Latino’s resignation letter from East earlier this year, he wrote that Montoya should never be hired, accusing him of “illegal acts,” including intentionally losing and destroying school equipment and property — claims that have never been proven.

DeNiro along with board members Patty Milner and Phyllis Sanchez voted against hiring Montoya on Sept. 22, despite recommendations by the superintendent and the selection committee to hire him.

Holloway said DeNiro, Milner and Sanchez put politics ahead of what’s best for the district.

“There was no reason to vote against him,” Holloway said. “I mean nothing.”

For more than a week, KRDO NewsChannel 13 has been calling and e-mailing DeNiro, Milner and Sanchez to find out why they voted against hiring Montoya, but has yet to hear back. KRDO NewsChannel 13 also called D.J. and Frank Latino — still, no response.

“I think what they did was illegal. I really do. I believe that they were having secret meetings and that they came to a conclusion without any kind of evidence, a political conclusion,” Holloway said.

As for Montoya, he believes others who want to work for the district should be concerned, too.

“Sometimes qualifications don’t speak as loud as who you know,” said Montoya, who helped lead the Rye High School baseball team to a state championship earlier this year

Outgoing board member Mike Colucci also voted in favor of hiring Montoya. He declined an on-camera interview, but told KRDO NewsChannel 13 he doesn’t know why three board members voted against hiring him.

“I went on the principle that if that name was brought forward that there were no issues — and whatever was in the letter was unfounded,” Colucci said.