What school officials said was meant as a light-hearted fun has brought fear into the lives of two administrators and their families at Boulder Creek High School.
ABC15 attended a meeting Tuesday night at the Deer Valley Unified School District Governing Board Room, where many teachers, parents and family members voiced their concerns over a President Donald Trump parody video and the death threats that followed it.
The threats are coming directly to their homes, according to Vice Principal Jay Kopas' wife, who spoke at the public meeting.
MCSO confirmed with ABC15 that death threats were made against these administrators. Investigators are looking into the matter.
"I did not want to come to the board meeting tonight," said Melody Kopas, who also works for the district. "I don't need any more reminders that my husband, the principal, made a huge mistake in uploading that video to the internet. But when I got home to find out they had received e-mails and phone calls with death threats, I changed my mind."
School officials said the video was intended to serve as a silly icebreaker at a staff meeting, but some parents said there's nothing funny about it.
"There's an old saying that goes, ‘The fish stinks from the head down.'" said Ron Baeir, a former Deer Valley Unified School District board member.
Principal Sheehan later apologized for the video.
"Poor taste, poor judgment," said Roseanne Guidice, a parent. "They should not be allowed to remain at Boulder Creek."
Many parents are standing by the administrators, however.
"It would be a disgrace to have these people removed from their positions at Boulder Creek, where they are loved and admired," one concerned parent said.
ABC15 has confirmed that Sheehan and Kopas have been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
