Denver Board Member Donald Torres Resigned
Donald Torres, a District 3 school board member, resigned following investigations into alleged misconduct.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Do you trust your local school board to handle member conduct investigations fairly?
Donald Torres has resigned from his position on the Denver Public Schools Board of Education after less than one year of service. His departure follows recent board discussions regarding allegations of missing meetings and biased behavior.
Why it matters
The resignation creates a vacancy in District 3, triggering a formal appointment process to ensure continued representation for the district. The board is now tasked with finding a successor while addressing previous claims of neglected responsibilities and misconduct.
The school board must appoint a replacement within 60 days of the resignation, or the board president may appoint a new member. Donald Torres, who defeated Scott Esserman in the 2025 election, served less than one year.
The players
Donald Torres
He is a former teacher and District 3 representative who resigned from the Denver Public Schools board.
Monica Hunter
She is a member of the Denver Public Schools board who faced similar allegations of neglecting responsibilities.
Scott Esserman
He is a candidate who was defeated by Donald Torres in the 2025 Denver Public Schools District 3 election.
The details
Torres submitted his resignation via email, ending his tenure shortly after the board discussed allegations of meeting attendance issues and biased conduct involving him and fellow member Monica Hunter. An agenda scheduled for Oct. 1, 2026, had included a discussion regarding specific claims of antisemitic behavior.
Timeline
2025: Donald Torres defeated Scott Esserman in the board election.
Sept. 15, 2026: Hunter and Torres released a statement on Facebook.
Sept. 17, 2026: The board met to discuss alleged violations against the members.
Oct. 1, 2026: Donald Torres resigned from his position.
Nov. 2, 2027: The next scheduled school board election will occur.
Culture Shift
The resignation follows a protocol established by the Denver Public Schools District 3 governance vacancy bylaws, which dictates the timeline for replacing elected officials. This shift underscores the rigid accountability standards currently being applied to local administrative offices.
Residents of District 3 will see a change in their board representation as the district moves to appoint a new official within two months. This process ensures that school policies and oversight continue uninterrupted despite the sudden vacancy.
The takeaway
The vacancy highlights the importance of maintaining consistent board oversight during investigations into alleged misconduct. Residents can monitor upcoming board meeting agendas to participate in the public process of selecting a new representative.
What happens next
The Denver Public Schools board is required to appoint a successor for the District 3 seat within 60 days of the Oct. 1, 2026, resignation.
Further reading
For more information on school governance, visit Administration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FOX31 Denver KDVR.
Live Poll
Do you trust your local school board to handle member conduct investigations fairly?
