Former Colorado teacher says he was fired after reporting racist threats against students

A former teacher is suing a charter school and two administrators in Lakewood, Colorado, alleging he was fired after reporting racist graffiti and threats against students to school officials and Safe2Tell.

Nick Newman, who taught at Addenbrooke Classical Academy for one school year, said he had signed a contract to return and was planning the music program's future when administrators confronted him about his report. He was fired days later.

"They said I was untrustworthy," Newman told CBS Colorado.

His lawsuit names Addenbrooke, Principal John Byrne and former Executive Director Ric Netzer. It involves the same restroom graffiti at the center of a separate lawsuit filed in September by former student Jaylen Davis, who alleges school leaders failed to protect him from racial harassment.

The graffiti included a threat of sexual violence using a racial slur, references to a "slave auction" and "Blacks for sale," and the names of five male students of color.

Newman said several of those students were in his classes.

"I love those kids, and any teacher in their right mind would do the same, " he said. "Just knowing that my students were exposed to sexually violent racial threats, and that it was swept under the rug, and it was probably bound to happen again. It just broke my heart."

Newman said he had reported racist and homophobic comments before learning about the graffiti. When students made those comments in his classroom, he said he told administrators.

He says their response was inconsistent.

"Sometimes nothing. Sometimes a detention," Newman said.

On May 2, 2025, students told him about the writing in a boys' restroom. Newman said he did not see the graffiti in person because the restroom was locked. A student shared photographs with him days later.

Even before seeing those photographs, he says he brought his concerns to the school's mental health counselor. He said he did not see the response he believed was needed to protect students.

On May 4, he submitted a report to Safe2Tell, Colorado's anonymous school safety reporting program.

"I went over it with Safe2Tell many times about the anonymity because I didn't want to lose my job, and I wanted to build this program. I really cared about my students," he said.

Newman said he was conducting choir auditions for the following school year when Byrne brought him to Netzer's office on May 15. Inside, Newman said, were Byrne, Netzer and a human resources representative. A printed copy of his Safe2Tell report was on the table.

"They just said, you know, we got this Safe2Tell report. We know it was you. There's things in here that tell us it was you," Newman said. "They were saying, 'Why do you care? Some of these kids aren't your students. Why do you care? You're not Black. Why do you care?'"

Neither Newman nor his attorney, Steven Murray, said they knew exactly how administrators identified him.

Newman said the confrontation came shortly after the school had invited him to return for another year.

"I signed my contract. I turned it in, and I had designed curriculum for the music program for years to come, hoping that we could build something," he said.

He also says he was receiving praise for his students' performances. After the choir sang the national anthem at a May 9 graduation ceremony, he said Netzer complimented its sound.

On May 20, Newman said Netzer fired him.

Newman said administrators told him he could not be trusted. He said he tried to persuade them to keep him, but the decision did not change.

Murray alleges the school retaliated against Newman for reporting his concerns.

"He went from a very, a very well-liked, celebrated employee to getting fired for just trying to do the right thing," Murray said.

Murray said the lawsuit includes a First Amendment retaliation claim related to the Safe2Tell report, along with claims under federal and state anti-discrimination laws. According to his attorneys, Newman seeks a jury trial, back pay, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney's fees.

CBS Colorado requested a response from Addenbrooke about Newman's termination, his allegations of retaliation and the school's handling of the threats against students.

In a statement, Jeffco Public Schools said charter schools authorized by its Board of Education operate independently as separate legal entities and are responsible for their own personnel decisions.

"The district's oversight role is defined by Colorado law and the terms of the charter contract; it does not extend to managing the school's daily operations or making employment decisions," the district said.

Jeffco directed questions about the school to Addenbrooke. Its response did not address when the district learned of the threats or whether it had reviewed the school's handling of them.

In a response received after CBS Colorado's television report aired, Addenbrooke strongly denied that Newman was fired for reporting discrimination or submitting a Safe2Tell report. The school said his termination stemmed from performance concerns, including issues leadership had raised with him before his report, but declined to provide specifics, citing personnel confidentiality and pending litigation. 

It confirmed administrators discussed the Safe2Tell report with Newman on May 15, 2025, saying its contents led them to suspect he submitted it, though they did not know for certain. The school also said its HR director denies making the statements Newman attributed to her.

Addenbrooke said administrators discovered the graffiti in April 2025, restricted restroom access, interviewed multiple students and addressed male students about appropriate conduct. The graffiti was subsequently painted over, but the school said its investigation did not identify those responsible. School leadership acknowledged that not all parents of students named in the graffiti were contacted individually.

Newman said the experience left him thinking about the students he had hoped to continue teaching.

He still teaches at another school and said he does not want his experience to discourage others from using Safe2Tell.

Despite losing his position, Newman said he would make the report again.

"Even though I lost my job, I would do it again and again," he said.

CBS Colorado also contacted Safe2Tell about Newman's account, including how reports are shared and how the program handles concerns about a reporting person being identified or facing retaliation.

Safe2Tell told CBS Colorado that confidentiality protections prevent it from confirming whether Newman submitted a report, raised concerns about retaliation or had a report reviewed. The program said it forwards information provided by reporting parties to designated school officials and law enforcement and trains recipients on protecting anonymity and confidentiality. Those local teams investigate concerns and report their actions and outcomes back to Safe2Tell, but the program said it does not direct or oversee local investigations.