School board member in Denver metro area resigns, accused of making racial remarks

A school board member in a Denver metro area district resigned after the board said he made "racialized remarks."

A press release from the Cherry Creek School District said Board Director Terry Bates resigned on Friday evening. They stated that Bates "made racialized comments that were unacceptable and inconsistent with our values."

The district said it will not release details of the comments to protect the privacy of the people involved. They added that the board recently learned of inappropriate comments made before Bates was elected.

"As elected leaders serving the Cherry Creek Schools community, we have a responsibility to respect the district's values, uphold district policies, and act with the utmost professionalism," the district said. "When a member's actions fall short of board policy and those values, we must address it directly and stand for what is right. As a Board, we have zero tolerance for this type of behavior."

The board said it cannot overlook Bates' actions and has accepted his resignation.