{
  "id": 16678014,
  "title": "13 people apply to fill a vacancy on the Denver school board, which has been mired in conflict",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/13-people-apply-to-fill-a-vacancy-on-the-denver-school-board-which",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-26T22:53:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Chalkbeat",
    "slug": "chalkbeat",
    "url": "https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/10/26/13-people-apply-to-fill-denver-school-board-district-3-vacancy/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Thirteen individuals have applied to fill a vacant position on the Denver school board, a situation marked by ongoing discord and conflict. The District 3 seat, representing central-east Denver, became empty recently when DJ Torres resigned less than a year into his tenure, citing repeated accusations and internal strife. Torres was one of two board members accused of policy violations, including alleged antisemitic behavior, though both denied the allegations. The board subsequently censured Monica Hunter following an inconclusive investigation into her potential use of antisemitic language. The new member will serve for one year, even though Torres had three more years left in his four-year term. The appointee will be selected by a majority vote of the six remaining board members, who are divided ideologically. Among the applicants is Scott Esserman, a former board member and teacher who lost the 2025 re-election to Torres, who was endorsed by the Denver teachers union. Other applicants include two former candidates, Caron Blanke and Mike DeGuire, as well as Pat Donovan, who serves on the Denver Families board and Rocky Mountain Prep. The applicants will meet on November 4 and a community forum will be held on November 5. The board will announce finalists on November 16 and appoint a new member on November 19.",
  "summary": "Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. Thirteen people have applied to fill a vacancy on the Denver school board at a tumultuous time for the board, which has long struggled with interpersonal conflicts and public disagreements. Among…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}