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The Denver school board has ordered an investigation into allegations that Vice President Monica Hunter used a derogatory term to refer to a Jewish board member.
The board voted unanimously on Thursday to hire an independent investigator to look into claims by board President Xóchitl Gaytán and Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero that Hunter allegedly called board member Amy Klein Molk a “Zionist bitch” in separate conversations with them in December and January. Hunter denies the allegations.
That accusation is the most serious of a slew of allegations Gaytán levied earlier this month against Hunter and board member DJ Torres, who have said the accusations are false.
The allegations are the latest example of the interpersonal conflict that has dogged the Denver school board for years. Some members have also clashed with Marrero, who has expressed concerns about the board overstepping its bounds and has looked for jobs outside of Denver.
The board took several tied votes
Board member Kimberlee Sia did not attend Thursday’s meeting because of a family emergency, leaving just six of the seven board members present. The six members took several votes related to the allegations, some of which left half of the members confused.
Board member John Youngquist made an amendment to a motion for an investigation into the antisemitic language allegation that also “removed from consideration and potential action by the board” all other allegations against Hunter, which include that her job with the statewide teachers union may create a real or perceived conflict of interest.
That amendment and motion passed unanimously. But when Gaytán read out loud the next motion, which was to postpone a discussion of all of the allegations until after the investigation, Youngquist pointed out that the board had just voted to dismiss the allegations against Hunter.
Denver Public Schools General Counsel Aaron Thompson jumped in to clarify.
“Forever?” Thompson asked.
“That’s what we just said,” Youngquist said.
“That was not clear to the rest of us,” Gaytán said.
Klein Molk and board member Marlene De La Rosa agreed.
Gaytán called for a 10-minute recess. Afterward, the board deadlocked 3-3 on a series of votes, including a Youngquist amendment that would have dismissed all of the allegations against Torres. Gaytán, De La Rosa, and Klein Molk voted against it.
“Yes, this needs to be put to rest, but I think it has to actually be put to rest,” Klein Molk said, rather than “just skirting over the issue and not actually addressing it.”
Gaytán said the board could vote at a future meeting to reconsider the decisions.
Public speakers call for the board to focus on students
In a 30-minute public comment session dedicated to the allegations, some speakers condemned antisemitism, others called out anti-Blackness, and most criticized the board for spending time — and potentially taxpayer dollars — on adult disagreements.
Parent Kooper Caraway said that while students like his child have been organizing walkouts and writing petitions to try to improve the conditions in their schools, “you all are busy writing love notes or hate notes back and forth to each other.”
“Our children deserve your full attention moving forward,” Caraway said.
Documents gathered by Gaytán in connection with the allegations show at least 20 emails between board members and Marrero leveling accusations at each other in the past six months, according to copies obtained by Chalkbeat in a public records request.
Some speakers spoke in favor of an independent investigation. Others said it would be a waste of resources. Still others addressed some of the allegations directly.
Sataira Douglas said her family had reached out to Hunter about a school choice issue “in complete desperation.” The issue still hasn’t been solved, said Douglas. One of the allegations against Hunter was that she bypassed the chain of command by speaking to district employees in the school choice office to advocate for her family and another.
“You’re so busy playing politics up here that you forgot that your actual job is to educate children,” Douglas said.
Parent Grace Goodman said that when she read the details about the alleged antisemitic language, “I felt personally slapped across the face.” She said it was “gross” that the people who allegedly heard the language kept the information hidden for months.
“Every minute this board spends on this is a minute not spent on all kids,” Goodman said.
Hunter and Torres refute the other allegations
Gaytán had also accused Hunter of allegedly disparaging other board members in a social media post and failing to review the superintendent’s weekly email to the board.
Gaytán accused Torres of missing meetings and not attending a board-related conference in Canada after the district paid for it. Torres said he paid most expenses back.
Hunter and Torres were also accused of refusing to speak with Gaytán by phone and allegedly giving a “possible unauthorized directive” to Marrero to recognize a labor union.
Hunter has called the accusations “baseless” and disappointing, and said it saddens her that the board continues to center interpersonal conflicts rather than focus on students.
As for the allegation that she used antisemitic language to refer to Klein Molk, Hunter said in an interview this week, “I absolutely don’t talk like that and would never say that about her.”
In a written statement this week, Torres said the board’s policy “does not require perfect attendance.” He also disputed the allegation that he gave an unauthorized directive to the superintendent, saying he told Marrero to follow an established district policy.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
Melanie Asmar 2026-09-18 05:36:01
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