Tay Anderson announced late Sunday he won’t resign as a Denver Public School board member in light of the extraordinary allegation that he sexually harassed or assaulted 62 minors.
Anderson will stop going to school events and attending other duties outside of school board meetings, but only until that first investigation of a completely separate accusation of sexual assault by Black Lives Matter 5280 is completed.
The school board supports his decision:
“Director Tay Anderson’s fellow DPS board members agree with his decision to step back from routine board functions and events until the conclusion of the investigation authorized by the board on April 6,” the board members wrote in a statement Sunday night.
That investigation is supposed to be concluded in a few weeks, and since graduations are over, Anderson won’t miss much.
Anderson says he fully intends to keep voting at meetings, including the upcoming vote this week on a new superintendent.
Anderson has denied all of the allegations against him.
Statement from Director Anderson: pic.twitter.com/8jW598INWu
— Tay Anderson (@TayAndersonCO) May 31, 2021
It’s not clear whether police are investigating the latest accusation leveled by an activist during a state legislative hearing last week, that 62 students and other minors have told her since August Anderson engaged in incidents of unwanted touching or sexual assault.
The victims declined to report the incidents to authorities because all were undocumented immigrants, the activist told lawmakers.
Additionally, former members of a group Anderson led in 2018, Never Again Colorado, say he engaged in inappropriate behavior.
The school board is standing with Anderson, but the Colorado High School Democrats that Anderson once chaired is calling for his actual resignation.
“Director Anderson has lost the confidence of the students and families of his school district. Students, including our many members in DPS, should not have to be afraid of one of their school board members,” COHSD Chairman Spencer Wilcox said in a statement. “He must resign.”
The extent of calls for Anderson’s resignation are unclear because he turned off commenting on both his Twitter accounts, which the courts have ruled public officials cannot do on their official page. Anderson also uses his personal page for official business.
The Colorado GOP is also calling for his resignation, as are numerous folks on the Twitter:
Denver Public Schools should remove Tay Anderson immediately. The reports indicate he is a danger to children, and there is no reason on earth he should stay in a position of power over these children. Agree, @coloradodems, or will you remain silent AGAIN? #copolitics
— Kristi Burton Brown (@ColoradoKbb) May 29, 2021
@leslieherod and @pweiser ally Tay Anderson has lost the confidence of his students but his loyal friends remain silent. Seemingly, the students in DPS are able to put principle over party better than the elected officials who aligned themselves with Anderson #copolitics https://t.co/UPV1vY6OQW
— Aru Kidnme (@AKidnme) May 31, 2021