Former board member Terry Bates resigned after the district received three written complaints alleging that he asked a group of people if they came to the United States from Mexico with a “coyote,” according to documents obtained by The Denver Post.
Bates resigned unexpectedly last month during a Board of Education meeting at which his colleagues said he had made racist remarks.At the time, the school board did not reveal specifics about the comments that resulted in Bates’ resignation.
Documents obtained through a Colorado Open Records Act request by The Post show that on April 20 — four days before Bates resigned — three people filed complaints with Cherry Creek General Counsel Sonja McKenzie. The complaints alleged that Bates asked people sitting at a table with him at an event about their ethnicity and where they were from — and then inquired about their use of a “coyote.”
The word coyote is used as slang for paid smugglers who help immigrants cross the U.S. border without authorization.
District counsel also received “two verbal complaints from two district administrators regarding inappropriate sexual remarks by Mr. Bates,” confirmed spokeswoman Abbe Smith in an email.
The verbal complaints were made on April 20 and April 23, when Bates was still on the board, but they involved an incident that happened before he was elected last year, she said.
The incident involving the alleged racist comments occurred at a district event on April 17, Smith said.
Bates pushed back on the allegations on Monday, saying in a statement that he “only recently” learned of an accusation from a district administrator related to an incident that allegedly took place more than five years ago.
“No complaint was ever brought to my attention at the time, no investigation occurred, and no evidence has been presented to substantiate the allegation,” Bates said.
“Given the timing, immediately following the concerns raised regarding the Mexico-related conversation, I believe it is reasonable to question whether old, unsubstantiated allegations are now being revived in an effort to damage my reputation and credibility,” he added.
The complaints filed against Bates related to last month’s event were redacted, so itap unclear to whom he addressed his comments and who made the allegations against Bates.
When Bates learned people at the table were from Mexico City, one of the complaints says, he responded by saying: “Oh neat, my housekeeper is from there. I mean, no judgement (sic) or anything. She is like a member of our family.”
Bates asked if theycrossed the southern U.S. border with a “coyote” after discovering they had been in the country for nearly six decades, according to the complaints.
“We were disgusted and appalled,” one of the complainants wrote.
Bates said he told individuals at the table that he enjoys Mexico City and has visited frequently.
“During the conversation, I misunderstood part of what he said and asked a follow-up clarifying question,” he said. “I recognize that the question was inappropriate and could have caused offense.”
Bates sent an apology letter to the school board after the incident occurred.
Separately, Cherry Creek Schools’ Chief Financial Officer Scott Smith has accused Bates of “intimidation, bullying, and unethical behavior” and of planning to interfere with an external audit into the districtap systems and structures, including fiscal responsibilities. Bates has denied those allegations.
