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Alleged Crimes and Bullying in Colorado Schools
by Ari Armstrong, Copyright © 2025
May 29, 2025
In my article for Complete Colorado, "The abusive double-standard between public schools and homeschooling," I pointed out that some people unfairly focus on the very few problems among homeschool families and ignore the relatively frequent problems in public schools. See also my related article, "The Colorado Sun's 2018 Fearmongering about Homeschoolers."
Here I track news stories of alleged crimes, bullying, and other misdeeds in Colorado public schools. Please bear in mind that an allegation of a crime is different from a criminal conviction, and, in general, news reports may not accurately or fully represent underlying facts.
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Douglas County, Roxborough Intermediate School, child sex assault
Denver Post: A teacher "allegedly allowed a student to sit on his lap while he had an erection and another where he held another child's buttocks during a conversation." Some students called him "Mr. Pedophile."
Boulder, Manhattan Middle School, child abuse, inappropriate touching
Denver Post: "Boulder Valley School District . . . Superintendent Rob Anderson said . . . that he was recommending the dismissal of Daniel Greenberg. . . . Greenberg was initially charged with sexual assault of a child in a position of trust—victim under 15; 10 counts of child abuse—knowingly or recklessly cause bodily injury; and 10 counts of harassment. However, after pleading guilty to one count of child abuse and one count of harassment . . . his remaining charges were dismissed. . . . [Anderson said,] 'Students also reported that Greenberg made them hit themselves and publicly humiliated them.' Police noted in an affidavit that an investigation found that Greenberg was involved in numerous non-consensual acts of inappropriate touching of his male and female students."
Widefield School District, abuse
Gazette: An "armed safety and security [officer] in the [Widefield School District 3] district was arrested . . . on suspicion of felony child abuse."
Littleton Public Schools, assault
CBS: "According to Littleton Public Schools, the Department of Justice has formally opened an inquiry to determine whether any violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act occurred in the case of a former school bus aide accused of hitting and slapping students with special needs." The woman in question pleaded not guilty in August, 2024.
Poudre, Fort Collins High School, sex assault
CBS: "Fort Collins Police Services have arrested a high school teacher in Northern Colorado who now faces several felony charges related to an alleged sexual assault of a child."
Poudre School District, abuse
WJAR: "A group of Colorado families sued [Poudre], claiming it knowingly hiring a man with a child abuse conviction to work as a bus aide for students with special needs. 37-year-old Tyler Zanella was sentenced in April to 12.5 years in prison. The sentencing followed accusations that Zanella hit a nonverbal student with autism while working as a school bus aide for the Poudre School District (PSD). An investigation into the accusations revealed evidence that Zanella had also abused 10 other PSD elementary schoolers, according to the Larimer County District Attorney's Office."
Douglas County, STEM School Highlands Ranch, contributing to delinquency
Denver Post: "A STEM School Highlands Ranch teacher allegedly kissed a student and gave them marijuana and cigarettes. . . . Tera Johnson-Swartz, 44, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping, a felony, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor."
Jefferson County, child pornography
Gazette: "The Chief of Schools for the district, David Weiss, was terminated Dec. 19, 2024. . . . Days later, the sheriff's office noted that it was conducting an investigation into Weiss that involved possession of child sexual assault material. Weiss shot and killed himself."
Jefferson County, sex assault
Gazette: A woman who worked for Jefferson County Schools "was arrested by the Arvada Police Department on Nov. 6, 2024, on suspicion of sexual assault on a child in a position of trust with a pattern of abuse after she allegedly began sending inappropriate messages to a 14-year-old she met while he was in sixth grade."
Jefferson County, sex assault
Gazette: "An afterschool care programs worker for multiple schools in the district was arrested in May 2024 over allegations of sexual assault on a child."
Jefferson County, Creighton Middle School, sex assault
Gazette: A a family liaison and coach "was arrested on Feb. 15, 2024 by the Lakewood Police Department after allegedly assaulting two boys under 15 at Creighton Middle School. . . . He was charged with two counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust and one count of criminal attempt to commit sexual assault on a third child."
Jefferson County, sex assault
Gazette: "First Judicial District Judge Chantel Contiguglia sentenced 28-year-old former Jefferson County paraprofessional Imagine Kay Ewer to four years in prison Jan. 31 for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student."
Aurora Science and Tech Middle School, assault
9News: "A girl was seriously injured when another girl stabbed her during an argument at an Aurora middle school."
Jefferson County, Lakewood, Green Mountain High School, sexual assault
Fox31: "A former high school staff member in Jefferson County was arrested . . . [and] is being held in Jefferson County Jail on suspicion of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust" and other crimes.
Aurora, sexting
CBS: "A former Aurora Police school resource officer . . . was sentenced on Friday to 1 year of probation, 32 hours of community service, and $803.5 in fines and court costs, court records show. He was charged with three counts of first-degree official misconduct—a misdemeanor—but two counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. [He] is accused of sending texts of a sexual nature [to a 16-year-old girl at his school] over a several-month period in 2023."
Colorado-wide, bullying
Colorado Politics: In February 2025, the Safe2Tell "hotline received 2,854 reports," 18.6% regarding "school safety" and 17.2% regarding bullying.
Boulder, Community Montessori Elementary School, bullying
Daily Camera: A mother sued the district because her "daughter was bullied relentlessly."
Douglas County, bullying
CPR: "The families of four Black and biracial students who attended Douglas County schools filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the district, alleging district and school administrators failed to take adequate measures to protect students from severe and pervasive racism and bullying." The U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation.
Pueblo, bullying
CPR: "A lawsuit was filed . . . against Pueblo School District 60 and the principal of an elementary school for one 12-year-old girl's years of racial bullying and harassment. The bullying got so bad that stress sent her to the hospital for emergency stomach surgery and left her years behind in reading and math." Allegedly students called the girl the "n-word" and threatened to murder her.
Cherry Creek, bullying
CBS: "A group of Muslim parents and students in Cherry Creek Schools are sharing their personal stories of what they consider biased-motivated bullying." A student allegedly told another student, "Go blow yourself up."
St. Vrain, assault
CBS: "A former school bus aide [Monica Burke] who pleaded guilty to assaulting an autistic student on his way to and from school was sentenced to jail. . . . Burke was charged with kicking and hitting the 20-year-old Longmont student as he was taken to and from a Denver school specializing in autism. . . . Burke worked as a bus aide for the St. Vrain Valley School District."