Tay Anderson

Last updated
Tay Anderson
Director of the
Denver Public Schools
Board of Education
In office
December 4, 2019 –November 28, 2023
Personal details
Born (1998-07-05) July 5, 1998 (age 25)
Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
Political party Democratic
ParentMia Anderson
Education Manual High School

Auon'tai M. "Tay" Anderson (born July 5, 1998) is an American politician and community organizer from Denver, Colorado. [1] A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a director of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education from 2019 to 2023. [2] In September 2021, he was censured by the board for "behavior unbecoming of a board member" following an investigation of allegations against him. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Anderson was born to Mia Anderson, a single mother who was a teenager when he was born. [1] [4] He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and moved to Denver to attend high school. [5] He attended two other schools before settling on Manual High School, where he later became student body president. While at Manual, he decided to run to become a director of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education. At the time he was 19 years old, thus becoming the second youngest person to date to run for a Denver school board. (In 1977, Meyer Persow, ne Kadovitz, was 18 years old when he ran for the Denver School Board, finishing 11th out of 18 candidates).

Anderson lost that election, and instead enrolled at Metropolitan State University of Denver to study education and also began working in restorative justice within Denver Public Schools. [6] He decided to run for the Board of Education again in 2019, campaigning on supporting low-performance schools, putting a pause on approving new charter schools, and reforming how punishment was conducted at schools. Anderson decisively won this election, and doing so ushered in Denver's first anti-reform, pro-union school board in over a decade. [7] In a three-way race, he won about 51% of the total vote. [8] He is one of the youngest elected officials in Colorado history, being just 21 at the time of his inauguration. [9]

Early career

Anderson graduated from Manual High School in 2017. [10] His professional experience includes working as a restorative practice coordinator at Denver North High School. [6] He is affiliated with March for Our Lives - Colorado. [10]

Political career

Anderson was inaugurated into the Denver School Board on December 4, 2019. [4] The following January, Anderson helped pass a mandate requiring all Denver Public Schools to designate a gender-neutral bathroom, saying it would support the LGBT community. [11] Additionally, Anderson has led an effort to remove the Denver Police Department from public schools within the city. [12] Anderson was a de facto leader of Denver's George Floyd protests. [9] [13] He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. [14]

State House candidacy

On June 12, 2023, Anderson announced he was abandoning his Denver school board re-election campaign and would instead seek the 8th district seat in the 2024 Colorado House of Representatives election. The seat is currently held by Leslie Herod, who is term limited. [15] Later, on January 9, 2024, Anderson announced he was withdrawing from the race, fearing that the number of blacks in the race would divide the black vote and allow a non-black to win. [16]

Allegations of sexual assault

On March 26, 2021, Denver's Black Lives Matter affiliate, Black Lives Matter 5280, issued a statement saying a woman approached the organization in the previous month and reported that Anderson sexually assaulted her. The woman's name was not revealed in the statement, but she requested a public apology from Anderson and asked that he "seek help from a licensed professional with relevant expertise." Anderson issued a statement a day later denying the allegations. BLM5280 said Anderson "will not be welcome to share space with BLM5280 physically or on any of our platforms." [17] After it released its initial statement, BLM5280 said "multiple" additional alleged victims had approached the organization to report that Anderson sexually assaulted them too. [18] Anderson again denied wrongdoing, but told Westword magazine that "although I would have never intended for anyone to feel unsafe or uncomfortable around myself or others, I deeply apologize to the women-identifying members of NAC for the impact of my actions." [19]

On May 28, 2021, Denver Public Schools acknowledged that their board and the Denver Police Department were aware of new allegations of sexual assault against Anderson. Testimony before the Colorado State House Judiciary Committee on May 25 alleged the existence of a serial sexual predator within the school district, without naming Anderson specifically. Shortly thereafter police and the school district indicated they had been informed that the accusations were against Anderson specifically. [20]

After a third-party investigation was conducted, it was found that Fleming "had inconsistencies in her story, used inappropriate humor, and timed her report for Sexual Assault Awareness Month", leading the investigation to state the sexual assault allegations were unsubstantiated and "objectively implausible." Fleming refused to talk with the investigators, and nobody came forward to corroborate her allegations. The investigation also found "behavior unbecoming of a board member" which included "online flirtations with a 16-year-old student and coercive social media posts." Over 1000 students walked out of classrooms in protest of Anderson remaining on the board. [21] The Denver school board voted 6-1 to censure Anderson for his behavior. Anderson was the sole vote in opposition to the measure, which was the first time the board had censured one of its own members. [22]

Anderson later pursued a defamation lawsuit (2021CV33673) against BLM5280, Fleming, and another political activist related to their public statements. In 2022, a Denver District Court judge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that BLM 5280 "did not act with malice or reckless disregard for the truth." Following the dismissal of the case, the defendants filed for reimbursement of their legal fees under Colorado's Anti-SLAPP law. The judge agreed, and Anderson was ordered to pay $61,060 to BLM 5280 and Amy Brown. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hickenlooper</span> American politician (born 1952)

John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. is an American politician, geologist, and businessman serving as the junior United States senator from Colorado since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd governor of Colorado from 2011 to 2019 and as the 43rd mayor of Denver from 2003 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Public Schools</span> Public school system in Colorado, U.S.

The School District No. 1 in the City and County of Denver and State of Colorado, more commonly known as Denver Public Schools (DPS), is the public school system in the City and County of Denver, Colorado, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairview High School (Colorado)</span> Public high school in Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Fairview High School is a public, coeducational, comprehensive BVSD secondary school located in Boulder, Colorado, 26 miles (40 km) northwest of Denver. More than two thousand students attend the school. It is in the 5A category of the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA). The school's enrollment was 4,537 in the 2024–25 school year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kobe Bryant sexual assault case</span> 2003–2005 legal matter

The Kobe Bryant sexual assault case began on July 18, 2003, when the news media reported that the sheriff's office in Eagle, Colorado, had arrested then professional basketball player Kobe Bryant in connection with an investigation of a sexual assault complaint, filed by a 19-year-old hotel employee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denver Police Department</span> Law enforcement agency in Denver, Colorado

The Denver Police Department (DPD) is the full service police department jointly for the City and County of Denver, Colorado, which provides police services to the entire county, including Denver International Airport, and may provide contractual security police service to special districts within the county. The police department is within the Denver Department of Public Safety, which also includes the Denver Sheriff Department and Denver Fire Department. The DPD was established in 1859.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DSST Public Schools</span> Charter school in Denver and Aurora, Colorado, United States

DSST Public Schools (DSST), formerly known as the Denver School of Science and Technology, is a public charterSTEM network comprising 16 schools on eight campuses in Denver and Aurora, Colorado, United States, in partnership with Denver Public Schools. DSST is ranked among the top 200 public high schools in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank McNulty (Colorado politician)</span> American politician

Frank McNulty is an attorney and former Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. McNulty was first elected in 2006 to represent Colorado House District 43. He was re-elected in 2008, 2010, and 2012. He did not run for a fifth term in 2014.

<i>5280</i> American monthly magazine

5280 is an American monthly magazine focused on Denver, Colorado and published by 5280 Publishing, Inc. Its name derives from Denver's elevation of 5,280 feet above sea level. The monthly publication has an audited circulation of 77,027, making it the largest local magazine in Colorado. It is a member of the City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manual High School (Colorado)</span> Public high school in Denver, Colorado, United States

Manual High School is located in the Whittier neighborhood on the east side of Denver, Colorado, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Baumgardner</span> American politician

Randy L. Baumgardner is an American politician who served in the Colorado House of Representatives from the 57th district from 2009 to 2013, and in the Colorado Senate from the 8th district from 2013 to 2019, as a member of the Republican Party. Baumgardner resigned after more allegations came out against him following an unsuccessful expulsion vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Bennet</span> American attorney and politician (born 1964)

Michael Farrand Bennet is an American attorney, businessman, and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Colorado, a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed to the seat when Senator Ken Salazar became Secretary of the Interior. Bennet previously worked as a managing director for the Anschutz Investment Company, chief of staff to Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, and superintendent of Denver Public Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vance Joseph</span> American football player and coach (born 1972)

Vance Desmond Joseph is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). As a player, Joseph attended the University of Colorado as a quarterback and running back in the 1990s, and was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1995, playing cornerback for them and then the Indianapolis Colts in 1996. After spending 12 years as a defensive coach in the NFL with San Francisco (2005–10), Houston (2011–13), Cincinnati (2014–15) and Miami (2016), Joseph was hired as head coach by the Denver Broncos in 2017, serving until he was fired after the 2018 season. After his first tenure with the Broncos, Joseph served as defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022, before being hired by the Broncos as defensive coordinator in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cole Finegan</span> American lawyer (born 1956)

Philip Cole Finegan II is an American lawyer who has served as the United States attorney for the District of Colorado since 2021. He served as Denver's city attorney and chief of staff to then Denver mayor John Hickenlooper from 2003 through 2006. He was also the regional managing partner of the Americas for Hogan Lovells and managing partner of the law firm's Denver office.

Nathan B. Coats is an American lawyer and jurist who served as the 46th chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court from 2018 to 2020. Coats had been appointed to the court in 2000, by Governor Bill Owens and served until his retirement in 2020. His views while serving on the court were considered conservative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Lebsock</span> American politician

Steve Lebsock is an American politician who served in the Colorado House of Representatives from the 34th district as a member of the Democratic and Republican parties from 2013 until his expulsion in 2018. Prior to his tenure in the state house he served on the city council in Thornton, Colorado from 2003 to 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kayvan Khalatbari</span> Iranian-American entrepreneur (born 1983)

Kayvan Khalatbari is an Iranian-American entrepreneur; he was a mayoral candidate in Denver, Colorado, in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dafna Michaelson Jenet</span> American politician

Dafna Michaelson Jenet is a Democratic member of the Colorado Senate representing Senate District 21. She previously served in the Colorado House of Representatives representing House District 32 and, prior to redistricting, District 30, which covered a portion of Adams County including parts of Commerce City, Aurora, Brighton, Henderson, Bennett, Keensburg, Strasburg, and Thornton. She was elected to that seat in 2016, unseating Republican incumbent JoAnn Windholz.

Mary Young is an American politician, psychologist, and special education teacher from the state of Colorado. A Democrat, Young has represented the 50th district of the Colorado House of Representatives, based in Greeley, since 2019.

Carrie Baird is an American chef and businesswoman. She is a Top Chef alumna and restaurateur.

Tim Hernández is an American schoolteacher and activist. He has served as the representative for the 4th district in the Colorado House of Representatives since September 2023. Hernández was appointed to the chamber in August 2023 by a vacancy committee and is the first member of Generation Z to hold a state office in Colorado.

References

  1. 1 2 Paterson, Leigh (April 17, 2019). "Activism After Columbine, Then And Now". KUNC . Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  2. ↑ Brambila, Nicole C. (November 28, 2023). "Auon'tai Anderson sits down for final interview before stepping off the school board". Colorado Politics. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ TABACHNIK, Sam (September 20, 2021). "More than 1,000 Denver students stage walk-out to call for Tay Anderson's resignation". The Denver Post . Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Fleming, Sara (December 6, 2019). "Newly Inaugurated Tay Anderson Wants to Make the School Board More Accessible". Westword . Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  5. ↑ Fine, Gabe (July 21, 2017). "Meet Tay Anderson, Denver's Youngest School Board Candidate". Westword . Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  6. 1 2 Asmar, Melanie (August 15, 2018). "College student, former candidate jumps into Denver school board race – early". Chalkbeat . Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  7. ↑ Asmar, Melanie (November 6, 2019). "An end to Denver's school reform era? Teachers union-backed school board candidates win big". The Colorado Sun . Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  8. ↑ Wingerter, Meg (November 7, 2019). "Final DPS results: Union-backed candidates win all 3 open school board seats". The Denver Post . Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Oldham, Jennifer (June 4, 2020). "Colorado's youngest black elected official is now the face of Denver's protests". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Tay Anderson". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  11. ↑ Lopez, Meghan (January 23, 2020). "When it comes to gender-neutral bathrooms, differing opinions prevail as DPS passes resolution". KMGH-TV . Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  12. ↑ Sachs, David (June 5, 2020). "Seizing on movement against racist policing, Denver school board members aim to get officers out of public schools". Denverite. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  13. ↑ Balingit, Moriah; Strauss, Valerie; Bellware, Kim (June 12, 2020). "Fueled by protests, school districts across the country cut ties with police". The Washington Post . pp. A6. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  14. ↑ Kaplan, Noah (2020-11-10). "The Election May Be Over, but Their Fight Has Just Begun". Westword. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  15. ↑ Brambila, Nicole (June 12, 2023). "Anderson drops out of Denver school board race, announced state House run for District 8". Colorado Politics. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ Goodland, Marianne (January 9, 2024). "Auon'tai Anderson drops out of state House race for 'preservation of Black political power'". Colorado Politics. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  17. ↑ Ricciardi, Tiney (2021-03-27). "DPS board member Tay Anderson denies sexual assault allegation". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  18. ↑ Cook, Lanie Lee (2021-03-27). "Organization says 'multiple' women claim sexual assault against DPS board member Tay Anderson". Fox 31 Denver. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  19. ↑ Roberts, Michael (April 5, 2021). "Tay Anderson Apologizes After New Claims About Past Behavior Surface". Westword . Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  20. ↑ "New sexual assault allegations against Denver school board member Tay Anderson emerge during legislative testimony". The Denver Post. 2021-05-29. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  21. ↑ "Tay Anderson investigation finds sexual assault claims unsubstantiated, but details "behavior unbecoming of a board member"". The Denver Post. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2022-05-29.
  22. ↑ "Denver school board votes to censure Tay Anderson". Chalkbeat. 2021-09-17.
  23. ↑ "Auon'tai Anderson ordered to pay $61K in legal fees for defamation lawsuit". Fox 31 Denver. 2024-03-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.