AURORA | A familiar face returned to the Aurora Public Schools board of education meeting Tuesday, Aug. 16, to make what has become a familiar demand: Insisting school board Director Eric Nelson step down from his post.
Former APS Superintendent John Barry, who moved on from the district three years ago, reiterated Tuesday what the majority of the school board and several community members have already made clear this summer: Nelson should cease his work on the school board because of his fictitious resume and falsified military record.
“Mr. Nelson, veterans in Aurora ask for your resignation,” Barry, who is a retired Major General in the U.S. Air Force, said before the meeting.
In an initial report published by The Colorado Statesman earlier this summer, Nelson was accused of falsifying several points on his resume, including academic degrees, military decorations and affiliations with multiple professional organizations. An investigation solicited by APS for a fee of about $18,000 substantiated those initial claims.
During the public comment section of the regular board meeting, Barry read a letter penned by U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora, that called for former U.S. Attorney John Walsh to investigate whether Nelson violated federal law. Specifically, Coffman — and now Barry — asked the prosecutor’s office to determine if Nelson was in violation of the Stolen Valor Act of 2013, a federal law intended to punish anyone who misrepresents receipt of military decorations.
“It would appear Nelson misrepresented his military service in an effort to advance his political career,” Coffman wrote in his Aug. 4 letter.
Nelson has been accused of misrepresenting as many as a dozen military credentials following a brief stint in the U.S. Air Force. People found guilty of violating the Stolen Valor act may face fines or up to one year in prison, according to the bill, which Coffman co-sponsored.
Walsh, who was appointed by President Barack Obama six years ago, voluntarily stepped down from his role as U.S. attorney to pursue private practice earlier this month. Litigator Bob Troyer has since assumed the role of acting U.S. Attorney in Colorado.
Later in the board meeting, Board directors voted 5-2 to officially censure Nelson for the remainder of his time on the board. Nelson was elected to a four-year term in 2013. Yamrick and Nelson cast the dissenting votes on the censure.
Brandon Eyre, legal counsel for APS, said at a previous APS board meeting that the censure is largely symbolic. The board previously stripped Nelson of his duties as the board’s secretary and prohibited him from identifying himself as a member of the school board at public functions, among other sanctions.
Nelson has repeatedly ignored calls for his resignation. Only voters would be able to formally recall him from his position before his term ends. At the conclusion of the board meeting, Nelson requested to electronically attend the next regular meeting on Sept. 6.
Board members denied his request on a vote of 5-2 with both Nelson and Yamrick voting in favor of the request. Board members are allowed two phone-ins per calendar year, and must get board approval to get clearance for extra digital attendances. Nelson has used up all of his digital allocations. If Nelson misses the next meeting, it would count as an absence, but not carry any significant repercussions.