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Having spent months at odds over their working relationship, the Denver school board and Superintendent Alex Marrero emerged from a three-hour closed-door meeting Monday striking a more conciliatory tone.
Marrero and board members said they were committed to continuing discussions about how to work together and manage district governance.
“I appreciate the conversation,” said Marrero. “I’ll see it as a start towards seeking clarity and perhaps a frame for moving forward with positivity and hope for the district.”
Monday’s special board meeting was called to address concerns raised by Marrero in a June email in which he alleged the board is overstepping its authority and that “the current trajectory” has become “increasingly untenable.” A day after he sent the letter, he informed the board he was vying for the superintendent job in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, a position he didn’t get.
Policy governance is at the center of the tension between Marrero and the board. The framework is meant to set clear expectations for both sides. Marrero’s contract says the board sets district goals but “will avoid telling the Superintendent or staff what to do or how to do it.”
Marrero, who’s led the district for five years, earned $346,529 this past school year.
Monday’s closed session was to get legal advice about Marrero’s contract and to discuss the board-superintendent relationship with Marrero, according to the meeting agenda.
It’s not clear what specifics the board and Marrero covered during the session, but there seemed to be a bit of detente during the short public discussion afterwards.
Some board members said adjustments might be needed to the policy governance model but expressed general support for the approach.
Board President Xóchitl Gaytán said she’s open to having conversations at the board’s August retreat about changes to or flexibility in the model.
Board member Marlene De La Rosa said, “I’m fully committed to trying to do better as my part on this whole.”
Board member Kimberlee Sia suggested the board should do a self-assessment at an upcoming board work session.
Marrero said that he’s looking forward to seeing how the board assesses itself and that he’s willing to entertain changes to how the board governs the district.
“Organizations evolve and agreements evolve,” he said. “If that’s a desire and the will of the board, then that’s what shall happen, and we’ll adjust accordingly.”
Monday’s board meeting was bumpy at the start, with Marrero questioning whether information would be kept private with some members attending remotely.
The meeting was advertised as a virtual meeting, and none of the members or Marrero appeared on the video during the public portion together, though some were in the same building.
Vice President Monica Hunter said it was ableist to assume every board member could be present in person, especially because July is the month when the board does not usually hold any meetings.
“I just want to caution that tone of just like saying we’re not present,” she said. “Everyone is here. Everyone made it on the call.”
Gaytán, who has been supportive of the superintendent, thanked Marrero for making the effort to attend in person, saying, “I know he dropped everything he was doing. You know, left his family and his kids to be here with us today.”
When she started to apologize “on behalf of the whole board that we’re not all here together in person,” board member DJ Torres jumped in, saying repeatedly “Point of order.”
“You are the president. You do not speak on behalf of everybody,” Torres said. “Do not apologize on my behalf.”
Board member Amy Klein Molk said it should be respected that some people can meet in person and some can’t.
“We are here to make sure that we are doing the very best thing for our kids,” she said. “And time and again, we get pulled into these other conversations and I am tired of it.”
Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.
