Justice that has been too long deferred but will be denied no more.

“Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Expediency asks the question, ‘Is it politic?’ Vanity asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ But, conscience asks the question, ‘Is it right?’ And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one’s conscience tells one that it is right.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

To start, I must emphasize that the path of least resistance would be to stay silent and avoid making waves. However, I’ve chosen to risk it all in the pursuit of justice for the Black students unjustly subjected to seclusion. While I recognize this could significantly affect my political future in Colorado, it’s a cause I’m willing to stake everything on.

On August 29th, former Principal Kurt Dennis released the closure letter he received regarding the allegations of seclusion room(s) at McAuliffe International Middle School under his leadership. These allegations surfaced on August 1st, 2023, which led the Denver Public Schools, Denver Police Department, the Colorado Department of Education, and now the Denver Unit of the NAACP to open four separate investigations into these allegations. At this time, the Denver Police, the Colorado Department of Education, and the Denver Unit of the NAACP are still investigating while the Denver Public Schools has closed its investigation into Kurt Dennis but is still investigating other individuals.

On July 7th, 2023, these allegations were sent over to 9News Denver from the anonymous whistleblower(s), and 9News failed to act or alert any of the organizations investigating this matter; this ultimately delayed the investigation findings from Denver Public Schools. It is important that our partners in the media receive tips like this to alert the Denver Public Schools to ensure that we can investigate any claims of wrongdoing against our children.

The closure letter to former Principal Dennis, which he shared with media outlets prior to this conference, stated the following:

(IMPORTANT NOTE: This letter has been edited to replace the words “you” with Mr. Dennis to help the reader.)

During the course of the District’s internal investigation, DPS Human Resources Investigators identified three (3) student complainants and one (1) student impacted party. The Investigators personally interviewed the three (3) student complainants and twenty-four (24) witnesses with information relevant to the complaint. Mr. Dennis was provided multiple opportunities to participate in the investigation but declined to do so. In the absence of an interview with Mr. Dennis, the investigators took note of public statements made by Mr. Dennis and his attorney related to the above allegations. The investigators also collected and reviewed relevant documentary evidence, including but not limited to emails, MIS student rosters, IEPs, behavior conference tabs, and special education meeting notes. In so doing, the Investigators determined that:

The preponderance of the evidence supports that Mr. Dennis:

• Directed MIS faculty and staff to use two rooms located in the school — Rooms 115 and 121E for the purpose of student seclusion beginning on or around November 18, 2022, and continuing through the end of the 22–23 school year;
• Mr. Dennis personally placed or directed MIS faculty and staff to place students in these rooms without proper supervision or accompaniment;
• Mr. Dennis personally placed or directed MIS faculty and staff to place MIS students in a seclusion room and either locked or held the door shut, preventing student egress; and,
• Mr. Dennis personally continued using or directed faculty and staff to continue using these rooms for seclusion despite being aware that at least one of the rooms, which was damaged during the course of the school year, was not safe or appropriate for this purpose.

There was insufficient evidence to support that Mr. Dennis:

• Treated the student complainants or impacted party differently based on their race, color, or national origin as it relates to placement in rooms 115 and 121E for the purposes of seclusion.

I want to be clear that at no point during this investigation did any member of the Denver School Board state that the only reason students were placed into this room was because they were students of color. The legal burden of proof of racial discrimination is high, but I believe this is an opportunity to talk about implicit bias and racial bias influence on decisions.

On August 7th, board members confirmed through the initial investigation conducted by Denver Public Schools that all students that we know of are students of color; this is still the case and has been confirmed again by Denver Public Schools.

On August 23rd, the Board of Education received a 33-page report from Denver Public Schools that included the witnesses and impacted party statements; however, that document is sealed and can not be released by members of the Board of Education. It is my hope that if Mr. Dennis moves forward with his lawsuit, this document will be unsealed, and for the public to read the stories that have kept me up at night for the last week.

It is important to note that everything the whistleblower(s) alleged Mr. Dennis of doing to these students has been corroborated. When the district began this investigation, we only knew of one room being used for seclusion purposes, but today, I can confirm that we found at least two rooms inside of McAuliffe that were used and violated Administrative Policy JKA and JKA-R. I can confirm that other staff members knew about the use of this room and are still being investigated. I can confirm that students were placed into a room with items that they could have harmed themselves or others which I raise the question to those defending the use of this room: How can you justify seclusion as a safe alternative for students with escalated emotions while allowing them to be in unsafe spaces?

To the students who have suffered, my heart aches for the pain you’ve endured. Saying “I’m sorry” hardly feels adequate, knowing all that you were put through, but please know that these words come from the deepest corners of my soul. I am haunted by the thought that we didn’t catch this sooner — that we couldn’t prevent your suffering.

Yet, sorrow alone cannot rewrite the past; it is action that will define our future. I want you to know that I am fiercely committed to ensuring that no one else has to go through what you have experienced.

Let this be the moment we draw a line in the sand and say, “Enough.” We will rise from this dark chapter stronger, more united, and committed to justice. My promise to our DPS community remains this: every remaining day in my tenure will be dedicated to rooting out injustice and ensuring a safe, respectful environment for all our students. This is not a time for inaction or silence. It is a time for resolve and accountability. To those who think they can exploit the innocence and trust of our students, know that we will find you, and you will face the full force of justice.

In the depths of your despair, know that we’re turning a somber page in our collective story — but it will not be the last page. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” And so must we bend it, with hands calloused from our collective labor and our spirits unbroken. We move forward not just with the spirit of hope but with the urgency of justice — a justice that has been too long deferred but will be denied no more.

Auon’tai Anderson, Vice President of the Denver School Board