Christina Fugazi, the former assistant principal of Edison High School, who was on paid administrative leave for five months, has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Stockton Unified School District (SUSD). However, her reinstatement comes with a change of location as she will be serving at Stagg High School from the beginning of the upcoming school year.
District officials informed the public on Wednesday that Fugazi would not return to Edison High School, where she formerly held a leadership role. Despite being cleared, Fugazi claims she was never informed about the allegations that led to her being placed on administrative leave.
"I still have not been made aware of the allegations of potential wrongdoing," Fugazi told The Record.
During her leave, Fugazi's total compensation for the last school year amounted to nearly $200,000, with a base pay of $146,580.
In an unusual twist, Edison High School Principal Chris Anderson was also placed on administrative leave on January 27, just months before Fugazi. Anderson's status with the district is still in limbo. Melinda Meza, the district spokesperson, declined to comment, citing it as a personnel matter.
Following Anderson's leave, Kristi Lee, an assistant principal at Edison with 19 years of teaching experience, assumed the role of principal.
Edison High School, south Stockton's largest high school with nearly 2,500 students, faces further administrative uncertainty as Fugazi's replacement has yet to be found. The district spokesperson confirmed that hiring for administrators and teachers is ongoing.
Before moving into administration, Fugazi was a teacher at Venture Academy for 15 years and served as an assistant principal at Edison from 2021 to 2023. She also made her mark in local politics, being elected to the Stockton City Council in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. She concluded her term at the end of 2022.
Fugazi is set to commence her role at Stagg High School from August 3, for the 2023-2024 school year. She expressed relief at the resolution of the situation, saying, “I am ecstatic that my good name has been restored and that I can rejoin students and staff as an assistant principal for SUSD.”
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