DENVER (KDVR) — A 96-page report was released Wednesday following an independent investigation into sexual assault claims against Denver Public Schools board member Tay Anderson.
The report was conducted by the Investigative Law Group and delivered to the school board’s lawyer, the board and Anderson earlier this week.
What the report found
Investigators found that Anderson “had flirtatious social media contact with a 16-year-old DPS student while a board member” and that he “made two social media posts during the investigation that were coercive and intimidating toward witnesses,” according to the report.
They also found that Anderson “made unwelcome sexual comments and advances, and/or engaged in unwelcome sexual contact toward members and associations of the Never Again Colorado Board of Directors.” The organization is a youth-led anti-violence group. But the incidents were not connected to DPS, according to the report.
An allegation that Anderson sexually assaulted an unnamed woman, as BLM 5280 claimed in March, was not substantiated, nor were allegations that he committed sexual misconduct against dozens of DPS students or while he was a DPS employee and Manual and North High Schools.
How the DPS board responded
The DPS board issued a lengthy statement with the report’s release. It says, in part:
“The Board strongly believes the investigation treated Director Anderson fairly. The most grievous accusations were not substantiated and the Board is grateful for that. However, the report reveals behavior unbecoming of a board member. As elected officials, we must hold ourselves and each other to the highest standards in carrying out the best interests of the District. Director Anderson’s behavior does not meet those standards. The Board will hold a Board meeting to consider a censure of Director Anderson on 1pm on Friday, September 17. Until then, individual Board members will not discuss their personal deliberations or the contents of this report.”
Update: Thursday morning Anderson sent the board president a lengthy letter ahead of the censure decision.
What Tay Anderson said about the report
Anderson tweeted a statement Wednesday afternoon. In part, he said he and his legal team fully cooperated with the investigation.
“I believe the most important message that can be conveyed at this time is that the finding of unsubstantiated claims against me is in no way a victory over survivors, but rather an opportunity to reconsider how we view and create not only restorative but also transformative justice for survivors, falsely accused and correctly convicted,” Anderson said in the tweet.
Anderson said he will host a press conference in the coming days to address the full report.
Timeline of claims against Tay Anderson
- March 27: Black Lives Matter 5280 says ‘multiple’ women claim sexual assault against DPS board member Tay Anderson
- March 28: DPS board member Tay Anderson denies sexual assault allegations, claims he’s been threatened
- April 6: DPS Board of Education authorizes independent investigation into allegations against Tay Anderson
- May 28: DPS board member Tay Anderson ‘falsely accused,’ attorney says, amid new sex assault claims
- May 30: Tay Anderson ‘stepping back’ from board duties amid sex assault claims
- May 31: ‘The truth will be revealed’: Tay Anderson’s lawyer releases statement
- June 1: Tay Anderson sexual assault allegations are first DPS received against him
- July 9: Area pastors defend Tay Anderson from anonymous sex-assault claims
- July 14: Tay Anderson says he’s resuming school board duties ‘effective immediately’
- Sept. 13: DPS announces the Tay Anderson investigation is complete, report sent to board
- Sept. 14: DPS releases its invoice to the investigators who created the report