Embattled Denver Public Schools Board Member Tay Anderson made his first official appearance since his Sept. 17 censure by fellow board members with a two-hour town hall at Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center in Five Points, Saturday.

Anderson made himself available for the community to grill him on the censure and about a student walk-out last month demanding that he resign after a report ordered by the district found he had flirted online with teenage girls.

200-plus students walk out of North High School calling for DPS Director Tay Anderson's resignation

Residents were more interested in discussing issues their children face in the district and in hearing from candidates running for the board. Thirteen people, including one incumbent,  Carrie Olson, are running for four open seats in the election to be held Nov. 2.

Anderson, 23, voluntarily removed himself from the Denver board amid the independent investigation into an anonymous allegations of sexual assault. The probe didn’t substantiate the sexual assault claims, but did confirm inappropriate online conversations with the girls, triggering the censure, which apart from public shunning has no impact on his board post.

Anderson’s censure came two days after the 96 page report was released.

According to the document, Anderson “had flirtatious social media contact with a 16-year-old … student while a board member,” and that he “made two social media posts during the investigation that were coercive and intimidating toward witnesses.”

Anderson has maintained his innocence. The cost for the investigation, run by Denver’s Investigative Law Group, was $105,449.63.

Tay Anderson says 'I will not resign,' ready to move forward

“This was an aggressive public lynching,” self-described Anderson supporter Ian Coggins told The Gazette. He and his wife watched the town hall along with their infant child and a red-headed toddler. “People forget that in a three-way race, he got 50% of the vote. He’s fought through adversity and handled it well.”

Anderson opened the event Saturday by pledging to earn back the respect of parents, students and the Denver Public Schools Board.

“There are no hard feelings whatsoever,” he told a room of around twenty people and an online audience. “We are committed to working for your children, not for ourselves.” 

Parents say Tay Anderson showed no contrition for online behavior

Other topics from residents, parents and candidates included whether police should serve in schools, how children with disabilities are educated and ho the district is dealing with coronavirus. 

Anderson cleared up parents’ concerns about Friday night’s Manual High School football game where panicked students fled the stands after hearing what they though was a gunshot.

“There’s already tension among our students,” said Anderson. “There was talk of a gun, but someone in the parking lot actually only ran over a bottle,” he explained that the breaking glass made a popping sound. 

As the town hall wrapped up, Jane Shirley, a former teacher who is a first-time candidate for the Board, addressed the controversy surrounding the Anderson, saying the process was dysfunctional.

“I don’t like the way it went down. But we got what we got and we move on from that.”