DENVER — The Colorado chapter of the High School Democrats, a youth-based political group, is calling on Denver school board member Tay Anderson to resign immediately.
In a statement released Sunday, the executive board of the Colorado High School Democrats (COHSD) is urging Anderson to step down from his position after “the disturbing, recent allegations of sexual assault and harassment of students” against Anderson.
“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.”
Anderson is facing new allegations after a woman testified last week before a legislative committee about a sexual predator within the school system who has targeted students, the Denver Post reported.
On Tuesday, Mary-Katherine Brooks Fleming, a parent of three DPS students, told the state House Judiciary Committee there is “a sexual predator targeting DPS children” during her public testimony in support of a bill that would make it easier for victims to sue institutions who employ child sexual abusers.
Brooks Fleming told the committee 62 people had come to her for help regarding a single individual, but she did not name that person. Their experiences ranged from unwanted touching to “violent acts of rape,” she said.
Denver Public Schools acknowledged Friday night that its board and the Denver Police Department are aware of the new sexual assault allegations against Anderson.
Read the full story from our partners at The Denver Post.
Anderson has been under scrutiny after a sexual assault allegation came to light in March. The allegations were made in February by an anonymous woman to Black Lives Matter 5280.
Anderson has denied the BLM 5280 allegations and wrote in a statement in March that, “These allegations are gut-wrenching because I have not sexually assaulted anyone.”
Anderson’s attorney, Christopher Decker, denied the recent allegations made last week.
In a statement to The Denver Post, Decker wrote, “Nothing is worse or more unacceptable than the harm caused by sexual assault upon our children, or the related harm caused by not believing those who have been victimized in this way. This is also why false assertions of these horrible crimes act to cheapen and diminish its importance. It is because of these two truths that responsible people and organizations must carefully investigate such inflammatory claims completely, and with an open and fair process.”
The COHSD said in a statement Sunday that, “sexual assault and harassment are not and will not be tolerated by our organization nor its members.”
As of Sunday, Anderson has not responded to the organization’s statement. The Denver school board member had previously served as the chairman of the group.
