elected leaders convened Wednesday for the first time since the school board president accused a director of making an antisemitic comment about a colleague, but spent part of the meeting bickering over procedural matters and ended without deciding how to move forward.
Long-simmering disagreements among members of DPS’s Board of Education were on display during the meeting as directors fought over whether board President Xóchitl Gaytán followed proper procedures in deciding to present policy violations she levied against directors Monica Hunter and Donald “D.J.” Torres to the entire board.
Denver school board president accuses fellow director of making antisemitic comment
But when it came to talking about the specific allegations made by Gaytán — including accusing Hunter of making an antisemitic remark — the school board’s conversation remained at surface level. Directors talked about their need to have healthy disagreements and to set a better example for students without getting into the nitty-gritty of the allegations.
Nor did the directors delve into the heart of their disagreements by coming to a consensus on what their role should be as the elected board governing Colorado’s largest school district -- marking the third time in recent months they've shied away from publicly working through their disputes despite scheduling meetings to do so.
Superintendent Alex Marrero commended board members for talking with each other Wednesday in an attempt to resolve their disagreements, while acknowledging the need for more conversation.
“I know this is very difficult for all of us, but I do feel like this is the conversation that needs to happen,” he said during the meeting. “Staff (and) myself are in the middle of what is happening here and it is untenable. We are in a no-win situation. I encourage more of this dialogue.”
Board members John Youngquist and Kimberlee Sia said they wanted more information about Gaytán’s most serious allegation — the antisemitic comment — and to see an investigation into the claim.
Hunter, the board's vice president, said she welcomed such a move.
“It is very tough for me to hear about some of the allegations,” Sia said. “(The allegation of antisemitism) is very serious and I would like to have more information and be able to dig into that a little further.”
In the end, the board didn’t announce an investigation into the matter, nor did members direct staff to take such a step.
Gaytán has not revealed who Hunter made the alleged comment about nor revealed the phrase she deemed antisemitic.
The board president did say in an email to Hunter on Friday that the language was used “in connection with (Hunter’s) stated opposition to supporting the board colleague for an officer position and your stated refusal to sit next to that colleague on the board dais.”
Amy Klein Molk, who is Jewish, is the only new member of the board who did not receive an officer title after being elected last year.
Molk herself did not directly address the allegation of antisemitism in her comments to the board Wednesday. “We have a responsibility to act in a certain way,” she said.
Hunter also did not specifically address the accusation, but called all of the allegations made by Gaytán “baseless.”
Gaytán sent emails to Hunter and Torres on Friday accusing both of not fulfilling their duties as elected officials. The allegations range from Torres’ absence from recent meetings to the accusation that Hunter contacted DPS staffers to discuss the potential transfer of her own son to a different school.
“Continuing to attack the only Black member of the board does not feel good,” Hunter said. “... I refuse to spend time continuing to perpetuate conflicts when our focus needs to be on students.”
In their response to Gaytan’s presentation, Hunter and Torres both pointed out that previous attempts by the board to work through disagreements, including at a recent retreat, have done little to resolve the conflicts and mistrust that pervade the board. DPS has spent at least $30,000, they both said, on mediation efforts.
“We continue to spend time talking about ourselves,” Hunter said.
Board members are struggling to work together because of their different views on how to work under the school districtap governance model. Marrero, who has also found himself at odds with the board, has accused members of meddling in the day-to-day operations of the district.
Torres said he heard that Gaytán and DPS staffers had been looking into his behavior on “a hunt to find violations.”
“Scheduling changes are not policy violations,” he said. “…Your interpretation of my responsibilities are not a policy violation.”
On Wednesday, the board’s conversation devolved into squabbling before Gaytán could even present her allegations to the directors.
Hunter, Torres and Youngquist argued that Gaytán had not followed procedure by addressing the alleged policy violations privately with her colleagues before bringing them to the full board. Torres repeatedly interrupted Gaytán while she was speaking.
“One very lengthy email does not do that,” Torres said.
But Gaytán argued that the individual allegations are part of a bigger problem that needed to be addressed.
The board president said she tried to address the alleged policy violations individually with Hunter and Torres before making them public, but directors rebuffed her efforts.
“You said I ignored you and that is not true,” Hunter said.
“That is very much true,” Sochi responded.
