Two weeks after district officials released a report clearing Director John Youngquist of overt racial bias, the Denver school board will weigh censuring him when they meet on Thursday.

A censure is a formal, public reprimand for serious violations of law, policy or unethical conduct. A censure does not remove a public official from office. It is a formal rebuke recorded in the public minutes.

Only voters can remove an elected official.

The last time the Denver Public Schools Board of Education censured one of its members was when it publicly condemned former Board Vice President Auon’tai M. Anderson in 2021.

An independent investigation found credible allegations that Anderson had made “unwelcome sexual comments and advances” and “engaged in unwelcome sexual contact” to minors.

Board members spent nearly 90 minutes last month taking Youngquist to task, urging him to take responsibility for anonymous and — in many instances — unspecified accusations of racial insensitivity.

“I did not see here any type of accountability and whether or not that was your intent, there was an impact,” DPS Board Vice President Marlene De La Rosa, who knew Youngquist before either were elected two years ago, has said.

De La Rosa added: “None of us can judge how another person feels.”

Members spent that time debating whether Youngquist’s “intent” mattered less than the “impact” of any of his actions.

Youngquist said the lack of specificity made owning up to any offensive behaviors difficult.

“A blanket level of accountability is not something that makes a great deal of sense in understanding what people’s experiences are,” Youngquist had said.

No action was taken on the investigation’s findings. The board retained Garnett Powell Maximon Barlow & Farbes over the summer to investigate allegations Superintendent Alex Marrero made in May.

In an April 22 letter to Board President Carrie Olson, Marrero alleged that Youngquist had “demonstrated a pattern” of hostility, policy violations and racial insensitivity that created at toxic work environment. Marrero further blamed Youngquist for undermining DPS leadership and distracting the district from its core mission: serving students equitably. Marrero also accused Youngquist of vying for his job.

Youngquist has said he believes the complaint traces back to safety concerns he raised — and Marrero dismissed — the year before a troubled student at East High School shot two administrators. He expects to be deposed in at least two lawsuits.

The investigation did not conclusively find any bias and found that Youngquist’s conduct — pushing back on data and asking critical questions — was “consistent with what he views to be his mission as a board member.”

“We are unable to reach a conclusion as to whether Mr. Youngquist deliberately acted in a biased manner towards some District leaders of color based on the available evidence,” the report said.

Examples of Youngquist’s alleged racist behavior included a witness who said Youngquist called the district’s graduation rate “not good enough;” his failure to clap when Marrero was named superintendent of the year and questioning the legal advice provided by the district’s attorney.

The report’s findings were mixed with some members of color staff reporting unfavorable treatment by Youngquist while others didn’t.

No witnesses were named in the report.

Marrero has asked the board to censure Youngquist.

A petition circulating in the East High School community has collected more than 300 signatures in support of Youngquist, organizers said.

“His insistence on transparency, accountability, and honest debate is not hostility — it is leadership,” according to the petition. “Punishing an elected official for asking tough questions sends a chilling message to every public servant who dares to challenge the system.”

The petition urges board members to reject censuring Youngquist.

Greg Graeber — an East High School parent and self-described Marrero fan — knows Youngquist and said he “doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.”

“We’re focusing on his communication style and we should really be focused on the information that he’s trying to get from Denver Public Schools,” Graeber said.

Before running for his at-large seat in 2023, Youngquist was a longtime educator who served as an area superintendent for DPS and as principal at East High School — the district’s flagship campus. He has spent decades in Denver and Aurora public schools in roles addressing inclusion, equity and diversity.

The Youngquist findings come amid a broader climate in which accusations of racism have become increasingly common and frequently leveled against those who question district leadership. Community leaders have warned that the overuse of these accusations could dull their meaning and derail real conversations about equity.