Denver Public Schools central office administrators informed parents in May that Peter Castillo would be the new interim principal at Denver School of the Arts — but they either didn’t know, or failed to disclose, that the retired educator was a convicted felon, The Denver Gazette has learned.

Officials with DPS said Castillo, 59, was never hired.

The incident, though, has ignited fresh doubts — at a time when parents have raised transparency concerns — about how DPS screens its leaders and communicates with families.

Parents say they trusted the central office to do its due diligence, only to learn Castillo was a convicted felon whose principal license was suspended after a DUI seriously injured another driver. The omission has amplified concerns about leadership judgment and accountability.

“To me, it’s less about Pete and more about a failure of the system,” said Theresa Peña, who served eight years on the Denver school board, four as president.

Peña added: “Good leaders always learn from mistakes.”

After the May 2 email, internet sleuths quickly discovered the Colorado State Board of Education had suspended Castillo’s license in 2024, citing unethical behavior.

Melissa Boyd, a district administrator overseeing high schools, and Christina Sylvester, operational service director, sent the announcement and DSA parents complained.

Board President Carrie Olson and Sylvester fielded some of those complaints.

A week later, Boyd and Sylvester sent a second email to parents. This one named Don Roy as interim principal.

“Last week we announced Pete Castillo as the Interim Principal,” the May 9 email said. “Since our last communication, we have shifted toward an Interim leader with a background in both the arts and in leading multiple school campuses as well as operational expertise.”

The incident underscores broader concerns about the district’s vetting process.

Neither Boyd nor Sylvester responded to an email request for comment.

Because the hiring involves personnel matters, district spokesperson Scott Pribble said he was limited in what he could share. Pribble called the initial announcement to parents “a mistake.”

“During the hiring process, information came to light that had not been previously disclosed,” Pribble said in an email to The Denver Gazette.

If there were missteps, the district hasn’t acknowledged them.

Olson, who fielded complaints about the issue, downplayed the lingering concerns.

“As for my opinion, I don’t know all the specifics of the case due to its operational nature, but it appears that any issues that existed were caught quickly and remedied,” Olson said in an email to The Denver Gazette.

‘Unfit to perform services’

Castillo retired after 27 years with the district, 13 as principal at Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy in southwest Denver.

“Today, it was with some sadness, some pride and some excitement that I inform you that I have chosen to retire from Denver Public Schools and as Executive Principal of Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy,” Castillo wrote on April 21, 2023.

Castillo added: “KCAA will always be in my heart as I start my new journey.”

What Castillo did not disclose was that this new journey included 120 days in jail.

Just a week earlier, Castillo pleaded guilty to felony vehicular assault that seriously injured another driver.

According to court documents, on April 30, 2022, Castillo was driving intoxicated at about 106 miles per hour on Colorado 470 in Douglas County and weaving around cars when he struck the rear end of another vehicle. The force of the collision caused both vehicles to rotate and travel across the express lanes, slamming into a concrete barrier.

A district court judge sentenced Castillo to 120 days in jail, four years of probation, 60 hours of community service and ordered him to pay $2,547 in restitution.

“The felony conviction resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding, causing serious bodily injury to another person, and endangering others, in the State Board’s judgment, renders Respondent unfit to perform services authorized by his license,” according to the state board of education order dated Jan. 10, 2024.

Castillo waived his right to a statutory revocation hearing.

The Colorado Department of Education suspended Castillo’s principal license for one year.

As part of the settlement, Castillo agreed to complete the terms of his release and report to CDE any changes to his probation, which runs through June 2027.

Districts are required to report to the state, within 10 days, if an employee leaves their job because of unlawful behavior involving a child, said Jeremy Meyer, a CDE spokesperson. Districts must also notify CDE of any felony conviction related to domestic violence, sexual offenses, child abuse or exploitation, drug-related crimes as well as assault and battery misdemeanors.

DPS employees arrested for any criminal offense — whether a misdemeanor or felony — have five calendar days to notify their supervisor, Pribble said.

It’s unclear whether Castillo did this and, if so, when.

Castillo refused to say and Pribble declined to.

But Castillo continued working for the district for more than a year before retiring.

“The decision to retire was mine,” Castillo said in an email to The Denver Gazette. “With all that was occurring, I wanted to focus on my mental health.”

Kunsmiller parents said Castillo’s abrupt resignation took them by surprise. With his DUI now having come to light, some said the district’s handling of the matter reflects a troubling pattern.

“I kind of feel like this is getting old,” said Tami Matthews, a Kunsmiller parent. “I wish DPS would get it together.”

‘A few drinks and a bad decision’

It’s unclear when the district became aware of Castillo’s DUI and conviction.

DPS conducts licensure compliance and background check as part of the hiring process.

“This is completed for new employees and former employees who are looking to return to DPS,” Pribble said.

Castillo’s license is active and was so at the time of the DSA job offer.

In a book he wrote about his incarceration (“120 days… A view from the top bunk”), Castillo said “it was not the first time I drove after drinking…. It was the first time I got caught.”

Castillo’s 200-page book details navigating daily life in jail, disclosing that he collected paid vacation and retirement while behind bars.

“I did something wrong and am now paying the price for it,” he wrote. “I gave up my privacy for a few drinks and a bad decision to drive.”

Manige Giles, who has two children attending DSA, said she found the hiring decision “terribly troubling.”

“They need to be doing their due diligence,” said Giles, who was among those who raised the issue with the central office.

DPS has faced mounting scrutiny over a string of high-profile controversies.

These include using confidentiality agreements under Superintendent Alex Marrero, inadequately training staff on safety procedures (alleged by the two administrators shot at East High School in 2023) and the firing of former McAuliffe International Middle School Principal Kurt Dennis, who publicly disclosed the district ignored repeated requests to remove a student charged with attempted murder.

The district is facing lawsuits from East High School Deans Eric Sinclair and Wayne Mason, who allege the district acted negligently, and a wrongful termination lawsuit from Dennis.

The way Giles sees it, the Castillo episode is just the latest example of a district that too often stumbles in matters of trust and transparency.

“It would be lovely if they get it together because it affects so much,” Giles said.