Terry Bates, a director on Board of Education, unexpectedly resigned Friday evening during a meeting in which his colleagues revealed he had made unspecified “racialized remarks.”
Bates, who was elected in November, announced his resignation when the board reconvened briefly for a public meeting following a closed-door session to discuss the board’s code of conduct, according to the agenda.
“We have credible information that board Director Terry Bates made racialized remarks that were unacceptable and inconsistent with our values,” board President Anne Egan said in a statement. “In addition, others reported concerning interactions. To protect the privacy of individuals involved, we will not release details about this matter.”
Egan, in her statement, said board members were also made aware of “inappropriate remarks” by Bates before he was elected to the school board last year.
“We cannot overlook these actions,” she said.
Bates left the meeting without offering further comment.
“Nothing surprises me at this point,” board member John-Claude Futrell said after the meeting. “We’re working to right a lot of wrongs.”
The board member’s resignation comes as Cherry Creek Schools has conducted several investigations into district leaders, including former Superintendent Chris Smith and his wife, Brenda Smith, the chief human resources officer.
Cherry Creek officials are investigating the Smiths’ ties to an education company that they awarded nearly $3 million in contracts, and whether they were influenced by paid international travel.
Chris Smith earlier this year, while Brenda Smith has been on paid administrative leave since February.
Cherry Creek also struck a deal earlier this month for Assistant Superintendent Tony Poole to retire this summer after being placed on administrative leave for alleged insubordination. The district will pay Poole his monthly salary until he retires in June, as well as a $191,000 sum, which includes accumulated leave.
