MIKE ROSSI IS ONE OF THE BEST MEN I HAVE EVER MET. HE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON MY HIGH SCHOOLS YEARS IN HASTINGS AND NEVER MADE ANY INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL GESTURES IN ANY WAY! HE IS THE REASON I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL AND WENT ON TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE.
INNOCENT TILL PROVEN GUILTY! HOLD YOUR HEAD ROSSI WE LUV YA!!!

#32

I've known Mike Rossi for over 20 years and have always respected him. He was a teacher to both my brother and my neices and nephew. When he was appointed vice principal at Hastings High School our community rejoiced in knowing that there was no better person for the job. Mike was admired by his peers, respected by the student body and administrators. He went well above and beyond to help those students that often fall between the cracks. He went to a home in the evening to make sure that homework was being done, or was there in the morning when a Mother had difficulty getting an angry teenager out of bed.He went to court with students when everyone else gave up on them. He gave of himself so much that our community saw fit to honor him by awarding a graduating senior who gives of themselves the"mike Rossi" award. Our family has come to love Mike Rossi. He is a friend. We hope that he knows we are standing by him now as he would stand by us.

I have known Mr. Rossi since 8th grade. He is the reason I graduated from Hastings High School, where he served as a teacher for over 20 years and resigned as vice principal. This is so outrageous that anyone could mistake is kindness and assistance for anything else. In all his years as an educator NOTHING like this has ever happened to him and I seriously doubt any allegations against him. HASP and students of Hastings High know the real Rossi, he is not capable of this.

"New Windsor Deputy Police Chief Richard Hovey said that his detectives gathered evidence of repeated texting of the victim by Rossi from October 1 through 16."

That sentence alone is disturbing. 'Repeated' texting of an administrator to a student should be cause for alarm in and of itself. According to this article, a record of those texts exists as evidence. As he is charged with aggravated harassment, I would imagine that the content of those texts is at the very least, inappropriate.

I am also disappointed that very few of those posting comments seem to be concerned for the well being of the alleged victim. If the allegations are true, a sixteen year old boy has had his life changed forever by one of the very people responsible to provide him with a safe learning environment. He will carry the resulting scars with him for the rest of his life. Our kids are supposed to be at their safest when (1)home and (2)in school.

please try to understand our community (hastings) is in shock as i'm sure yours is. my first prayer was that this would turn out not to be true, my second prayer was for the boy and his family and my third prayer was for the people of hastings who love this man.

This is so reminiscent of a case involving a high school principal in Middletown. Let's get the facts before we sing Mr. Rossi's praises or jump to conclusions. Only two people know what happened. How he was in Hastings has no relevance for how he is or what he may have done. With human frailities, we're all have the propensity for committing the unthinkable.

"New Windsor's deputy police chief, Rick Hovey, said Rossi "made some admissions" about the incident in the car, as well as the text messages." Chet Gordon/Times Herald Record

Maybe now we can focus on the victim instead of what a great guy Mr. Rossi is. This is a tragedy for everyone involved including the Rossi family and all of those who felt that they could trust him. Unfortunately, history shows that these types of acts are commonly committed by a person in a position to gain trust such as a child care provider, educator, youth counselor or religious figure such as a priest, and use that trust to exploit their victim(s).

There is no denying that Mike Rossi has done a lot of good and helped a lot of students during his career. Unfotunately, by his own admission according to the Times Herald Record, it looks like he has crossed the line in a big way. I just hope that there are no other victims.

Do you know the actual context of the admission??? maybe it's as simple as he had contact with the student via text? Do you know the context of the text??? Some people may think it is innapropriate for a principal to text a student but not innapropriate to those of us who have children who were taught by Mr. Rossi and communicated with him by phone when he taught at Hastings. He was always available when a student needed him and we will be present at court in his time of need. I feel bad for the accuser I hope he gets the help that he needs when this is all over.

I have known Mr. Rossi since I started school at Washingtonville and Graduated with him there to see me off. He is the most kindest, sweetest man ever and he didn?t do this. I know he didn?t and having him plea to this and ruining his career was just wrong. I grew up with his son and went to school with him. He knew about my health issues and always checked on me and asked my mom how I was someone like that would never do something that you all accuse him of. I will forever stand by Mr. Rossi because he cared about us as students and cared about our success he would stand by our side and I?m always going to stand by his he will always be the principle of Washingtonville in my eyes.