Steve Rocco (politician)

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For the skateboarder and World Industries founder, see Steve Rocco.

Steve Rocco is an American politician, elected board member of the Orange Unified School District in Orange, California, a perennial candidate for public offices and a former public access television personality. He gained international attention by winning an upset victory to his board seat in 2004 with absolutely no campaigning and being considered an eccentric. [1]

Previous to being elected to the school board, descriptions of Rocco by past acquaintances vary from "mentally unstable" to "very intelligent." He self published a book regarding various conspiracy theories.[2] He had run unsuccessfully for other offices in Orange County, including mayor of Santa Ana. During a candidate forum for that election, he attended wearing camouflage and sunglasses.[1] The story of his winning the school board seat garnered media attention with stories about him in The New York Post, Ottawa Citizen and on National Public Radio and The Today Show.[3]

Political observers speculate that Rocco won his seat over a mainstream candidate, a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) president, due to voters' lack of knowledge of the candidates. On the ballot, Rocco identified himself as a "school teacher/writer" while the PTA president had listed his then-current occupation of "park ranger." "Not knowing anything more, most people voted for the educator/writer over the park ranger," said a local politician who previously had successfully run against Rocco for a local community college district board seat.[1]

His tenure on the board has sometimes been controversial. In November, 2006, the board voted to censure Rocco in response to comments he made during a board meeting in which he threatened to fire a school principal.[4]. In March, 2007, he tried to make a speech in which he describes a concept he dubbed "the partnership," a group of powerful individuals he says that run the United States and has tried to assassinate him. As a result of this attempt, the school board is attempting to silence Rocco by voting to change the process that board members can place discussion items on the agendas of meetings. [5]

Rocco frequently attends board meetings dressed all in black, wearing sunglasses and a knit cap. [6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Fox, Ben. "Recluse voted to school board", Associated Press / USA Today, November 7, 2004. 
  2. ^ "More Details Emerge on Orange School Board Victor Steve Rocco (audio file)", KPCC, November 10, 2004. 
  3. ^ Laughner, Steve. "Andy Kaufman Isn’t Dead - He’s serving on the Orange School Board", OC Weekly, December 2, 2004. 
  4. ^ Prerez, Erica. "Orange trustees vote to censure Rocco", Orange County Register, October 13, 2006. 
  5. ^ Subramanian, Sushma. "Board muffles Rocco", Orange County Register, April 20, 2007. 
  6. ^ Subramanian, Sushma. "Orange schools may limit agenda", Orange County Register, March 29, 2007. 
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