KSJD Local Newscast - September 5, 2024

Although Montezuma-Cortez School District Superintendent Tom Burris did not report allegations he heard about an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student, disciplinary action against him isn’t merited at this point. That’s what attorney Brad Miller of Colorado Springs told the Re-1 District School Board at its special meeting Tuesday night. Burris is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 25 on a misdemeanor charge of failure to report by a mandatory reporter. Incident reports by the Cortez Police Department said that in 2023 Burris was told by the mother of a student in the district that her child had been to a teacher’s house, possibly drinking, and she feared the child might “get laid” there. But she reportedly said she didn’t think they were in a sexual relationship yet. Burris did not report this although school officials and employees are required by law to report possible child abuse or neglect to law enforcement. On Tuesday, Miller told the school board that nothing presented so far indicates that “actual bad behavior by a staff member” had occurred. He said, “Mandatory reporting laws create a duty when the allegation or information is that a harm has occurred, not just when there is a fear regarding a person’s potential motives.” He thanked the police for taking the matter seriously. Miller advised the board to wait and see if something more is later discovered.