In the wake of allegations that Aurora school board member Eric Nelson may have misrepresented his education, military experience and criminal history, board president Amber Drevon said Monday she plans to request that Nelson resign.
“At tomorrow’s meeting, because of the serious nature of these allegations, I will express my personal opinion that in the interest of not distracting us from the work of serving students, that Director Nelson should immediately resign from the Board,” Drevon said in a statement.
Nelson said last week that he has no plans to resign. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
Drevon said she also will ask her colleagues on the seven-member Aurora Public Schools Board of Education to vote to suspend Nelson from his duties as board secretary, as well as from his duties as a board liaison to “various schools and community groups.”
In addition, Drevon said she will “direct the APS administration to remove Director Nelson’s posted biography and any pictures where he is wearing academic regalia until such a time as we are able to substantiate his stated credentials.”
Nelson’s posted biography on the district website says he has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southeastern University, a master’s degree in social work from Northwest Nazarene University, an MBA from Northeastern University and a doctorate in organizational psychology from Southeastern University.
Nelson’s credentials were called into question last week. The Colorado Statesman reported that Nelson embellished his Air Force record, and that at least one of the universities he claims to have attended has no record of him being a student. A diploma from another university that he provided to the media misspells the name of the school.
The Statesman also reported that Nelson lied about his criminal record, which includes domestic violence charges, when he applied to the state to become a bail bondsman.
Nelson was elected to the APS board in 2013. He is now one of two Democrats running for a seat in the Colorado House of Representatives. Several members of that party have called for Nelson to withdraw from the race. Ballots have already been mailed.
The Aurora school board is set to meet Tuesday at 6 p.m.