Colorado Springs D-11 is set to dismiss one of its elementary schoolteachers who has publicly criticized district leadership in recent months.

During their regular meeting, the D-11 Board of Education discussed both the school district’s “employee dismissal process” and the “employment status of Angelica Givler-Viers, McAuliffe Elementary School Teacher” on Wednesday night.

Superintendent Michael Gaal recommended to the board that Givler-Vier’s employment be dismissed on the grounds of “insubordination, neglect of duty and and/or other good and just cause.” This action does not require board approval.

Despite D-11 closing for the day because of inclement weather, the meeting went on as scheduled remotely and members of the Colorado Springs Education Association gathered outside the district administration building to protest the decision.

Givler-Viers has been on administrative leave since Oct. 5 and was instructed not to talk to employees, parents or students or enter school district property. When she asked her principal why exactly she was being put on leave, she was told that the district would investigate whether her social media posts violated any district policies or laws.

“And I was like, ‘OK, but what exactly am I being accused of?’ and he said, ‘Well, we’re going to investigate that,’” Givler-Viers said. “And I’m like, ‘So, I’m not being accused of anything?’ and he said, ‘Well, we don’t know that yet.’”

The teachers’ union has alleged that this was in response to her posts on social media that have been critical of the district administration and recent decisions leading up to a one-day strike held on Oct. 8.

“(There’s been) nothing close to this level of intimidation that they’re trying to have with educators,” said Kevin Vick, Colorado Education Association president and a former D-11 teacher.

A D-11 teacher who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that they and other teachers were reprimanded for participating in and commenting on the strike in their absence notes, but that they were only given a write-up that can be appealed in one year.

They added that Givler-Viers has been among the teachers who have been vocal about recent union concerns.

At the time of this reporting, she had over 18,000 followers on her personal TikTok account. In a video posted on Sept. 29 with over 89,700 views, she encouraged district families to stay home on the day of the strike. Another video posted on Oct. 6 alleged that district leadership admitted to removing a portion of a high school health textbook concerning gender and sexual identity with no notice or process.

On Nov. 5, Givler-Viers, other union members and supporters participated in a demonstration outside a board meeting at the administration building to protest what they believed was censorship in the district. She said she received an email the next day stating that she would be coming in for the investigative interview.

“We did the investigation, still not directly accused of anything. I asked again what policy I violated, they still didn’t tell me,” Givler-Viers said.

The teacher was then informed that there would be a follow-up interview to discuss the findings. She couldn’t discuss the findings publicly, but said she would then be notified on Dec. 1 that Gaal would recommend her dismissal at the Wednesday meeting.

She said she never received a reason from the district for this dismissal.

Although public school districts don’t typically comment on personnel matters, D-11 released a statement on Wednesday explaining its process.

“The District does not disclose information related to employee investigations, corrective actions or employment status, nor does it discuss the circumstances of any specific personnel decision,” the statement read.

“In accordance with state and federal law, these protections exist to safeguard employee privacy and ensure that all personnel processes are handled appropriately.”

The D-11 board would then adjust its meeting agenda to move the discussion on Givler-Viers from the executive session to the public discussion, following her request for this change.

After receiving legal counsel in the executive session and receiving Gaal’s recommendation, Board President Parth Melpakam reiterated the district’s policy regarding personnel discussions and its intention to follow the process outlined by the Colorado Teacher Employment Compensation and Dismissal Act before moving on to the next agenda item.

The statement also addressed the recent allegations regarding book banning and their curriculum. At a special meeting on Nov. 19, the board unanimously approved an updated policy to establish additional procedures for the selection, reconsideration, and removal of library materials.

Union members protested outside the board’s Nov. 5 meeting, where it was first discussed, and said it would make it easier for the district to ban books and censor materials. In their statement, D-11 said the update was to comply with state statute, follows guidance from the Colorado Association of School Boards and involved multiple reviews and discussions before it was adopted.

“Any allegation that the Board intends to terminate the employment of any employee for speaking out against alleged book banning or against this policy update is false,” the statement read.

Givler-Viers said she now plans to file an objection for her dismissal to go through the administrative law judge hearing process. Despite the recent developments, she added that she still hopes to work in the district and represent its communities.

“It’s not just about me … I’m not the only one in this position, I’m the only one that’s in this position to safely and securely talk about it,” she said. “I have the emotional support and the union protection and the laws to protect me, and not everybody does.”