Sign up for Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.The Denver school board president is accusing two board members of a long list of policy violations, including that Vice President Monica Hunter allegedly used antisemitic language and board member DJ Torres repeatedly missed meetings.The allegations against Hunter and Torres are indicative of escalating tension among the elected board members of Colorado’s largest school district, Denver Public Schools. The board is set to publicly discuss the allegations Wednesday.Board President Xóchitl Gaytán levied the accusations in emails to Hunter and Torres on Friday, according to copies obtained by Chalkbeat. Gaytán declined to comment Tuesday. Board policy calls for a public discussion of alleged violations before any censure.Hunter called the accusations “baseless” and disappointing in a statement Tuesday. In a separate statement, Torres said, “I have broken no Board policy.” The allegations against Hunter, a former Denver Public Schools teacher and current teachers union employee who has a blended family of six children, include that:She allegedly used derogatory language directed at a “colleague’s Jewish identity and/or perceived political identity.”A social media post in which she wrote that she was “told by folks who are not working, have adult children, and have full-time nannies that I need to make myself more flexible,” allegedly disparaged other board members.Her job with the Colorado Education Association, the statewide teachers union, “may create an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.”She allegedly contacted two district employees in the school choice office to advocate on behalf of another parent and discuss her own son’s potential transfer to another school.She allegedly failed to regularly review the superintendent’s weekly email to the board.Hunter said she is saddened that the board continues “to center interpersonal conflicts” rather than focusing on students’ education and mental health. Hunter, who is Black, said accusations such as these “can be used to discredit, silence and cause harm, particularly when directed at people or communities already facing marginalization.”“I unapologetically believe in the dignity, respect, and safety of all people, and that no one should face discrimination because of their identity,” Hunter said.The allegations against Torres, who is also a former Denver Public Schools teacher and the father of a DPS student, include that:He allegedly missed one regular board meeting, several board work sessions, and canceled or failed to attend meetings with district staff.He allegedly missed some meetings of the Latino Education Advisory Committee, to which he is one of two board representatives.As board treasurer, he allegedly canceled, missed, or arrived late to some meetings of the board’s Finance and Audit Committee.He allegedly did not attend a board-related conference in Canada in June after the district had paid his travel and conference fees.Torres said his schedule “has changed repeatedly over the last nine months” since he was elected. He said he’s had to redirect his time toward “unexpected Board matters, urgent community concerns, school and constituent needs, and dysfunction that required attention outside of what had been planned.”“A changed calendar is not evidence that I am disengaged or unwilling to govern,” he said. “In many cases, it is evidence that I was governing somewhere else.”Torres said he canceled the Canada trip because he didn’t have childcare, and that he paid back all of the costs except for the conference fee, which allowed him to access the materials.Gaytán also accused Hunter and Torres of failing to communicate with her as president in a direct and reasonable way, which she alleged can impair the board’s ability to function. Her emails said the two prefer “to receive certain communications in writing.”Torres said he was not surprised by what he deemed false accusations, given that he and Hunter spent the summer advocating for “meaningful conversations and Board action, only to have meeting requests blocked, ignored, or delayed.” Hunter and Torres were among the board members who wanted to meet over the summer to discuss Superintendent Alex Marrero’s employment after Marrero alleged that the board was overstepping its authority. That meeting didn’t happen.Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
