Garfield County voters oust school board member who backed conservative ‘American Birthright’ standards

Voters in Garfield County have recalled a former school board president who pushed for conservative social studies standards written by a national group, according to unofficial results.

Tony May entered the statewide spotlight when he tried to introduce the controversial American Birthright standards into the rural Western Slope district last year. The standards highlight Western civilization, American exceptionalism, patriotism and Christianity and have drawn criticism from teachers and national social studies groups.

The move triggered a backlash from residents from different political and economic backgrounds, faiths and beliefs and eventually led to an effort to recall May from the school board. May stepped down as board president but continued on as a board member.

With a turnout of 31 percent of registered voters, about 58 percent (2,781) voted to oust May and 42 percent (2,042) voted against the recall. Wednesday night voters also elected New Castle resident Scott Bolitho to replace May.

“Our community came together with the common goal for protecting public education,” Willow Brotzman and Leanne Richel, leaders with the Coalition for Responsible Education in RE-2, said in a statement. “We are confident that Scott Bolitho will be a wonderful addition to our existing board that will work cohesively to make RE-2 the best district for our children and staff. We look forward to the future of Garfield RE-2 after this chapter closes.”

They credited the success of the recall effort to many neighbors putting in time and energy.

According to Ballotpedia, school board recall efforts are rarely successful.

Between 2009 and 2023, it tracked an average of 35 recall efforts against an average of 81 school board members nationwide each year. About 20 percent of those ended up facing recall elections and 10 percent were removed from office.  

May didn’t respond to an interview request from CPR News but his ballot statement said the recall was “politically motivated” and an “unwarranted distraction from the central focus of educating children.”

Turmoil in Garfield County

After the state adopted new inclusive social studies standards, specifically rejecting the American Birthright standards, state law requires school districts to host a local forum about the standards. Districts can adopt their own standards as long as they “meet or exceed” state standards.  Under Colorado law, social studies standards are to reflect the history, cultures and social contributions of diverse peoples among other requirements. 

Garfield County’s school district created a committee of community members that embarked on an exhaustive examination of three sets of standards, including the American Birthright standards. The goal was to determine how well each aligned with several Colorado laws and community values. The county is conservative and the school district student body is more than half Latino. 

“Everyone came together to hash it out, to really figure out what the community of this district really wanted,” said Jay Puidokas during the comment period at a school board meeting last fall. “And it was extremely eye-opening to see the values align.” 

The committee overwhelmingly rejected the American Birthright standards and the school board voted 3 to 1 to adopt the state standards instead. However, many community members alleged May’s behavior during the controversy and afterward was bullying and marginalizing. They accused him of acting in a partisan manner on the board and jeopardizing the ability of the school district to function. The coalition launched an effort to recall him.

While Brotzman and other members of the coalition easily collected enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot, May had his backers. Some would speak at board meetings. Others came from out of state. A former Ohio school board member and Sheronna Bishop, a conservative podcaster who previously worked for Rep. Lauren Boebert and who is now a resident of Texas, hosted a secret Zoom call for May’s supporters. It was filled with attacks on a local Latino advocacy group and a support group for parents of LGBTQ children but also laid out a strategy for keeping May in his seat.

In the end, a coalition of Republican, Independent and Democratic parents prevailed, rejecting May’s “extremist agenda” and rhetoric that insulted Latino families and students, said Alex Sánchez who leads Voces Unidas de las Montañas.

“We need individuals who have lived experiences in the school district, who understand the core mission of the school district, which is to provide a quality education and meet the needs of all families,” Sanchez said. “It is a very diverse community from Rifle to Silt to Newcastle.”

New school board member

Bolitho is a fourth-generation resident of Garfield County whose children attended district schools. He has a granddaughter who started school this year. His website states he supports schools that promote individual, critical thinking among students.

“Our education system, and the people who oversee it, should not be driven by a political agenda when setting policy,” he said. “Parents, teachers, staff and community members are to be respected and engaged with authentically, in service to the greater good of our community.”