Exclusive: Why Auon'tai Anderson isn't running for school board this fall

What he's saying: In an exclusive interview with Axios Denver, Anderson said he's staying out of the race to avoid becoming a "distraction" that would shift focus away from what matters most: "our kids."

Context: Anderson's tenure from 2019 to 2023 was turbulent. He became the face of a deeply fractured board, was a fierce critic of police in schools and a near-constant source of headlines.

• The board censured him in 2021 after a third-party investigation found he flirted with a 16-year-old student online and made social media posts during the investigation that "were coercive and intimidating toward witnesses." He was cleared of more serious sexual misconduct allegations.
• A second censure attempt — over allegedly leaking confidential information, according to the then-school board president — failed.

Zoom out: Anderson didn't run for re-election in 2023, but his political presence never fully faded. He remains a divisive figure — hailed by some as a justice-driven reformer, criticized by others as self-serving and combative.

State of play: Anderson is endorsing two incumbents:

• Scott Esserman, seeking another term as an at-large member
• Michelle Quattlebaum, running again in District 4

What's next: Anderson will continue working as restorative practice coordinator at Manual Middle School.

• As for his political future, running for the school board in 2027, he told us, is "100% on the table."