Denver Students Secure Yurt for School After Suffering Racist Slurs at Council Meeting

Students at Monarch Montessori started the school year with a new classroom space this week, thanks to the advocacy of two young Black girls who were the victims of a racist tirade at Denver City Council.

The elementary students spoke to the council in May to ask for help getting a yurt for their school. But less than a minute into their testimony, a voice from the meeting's Zoom broadcast shouted at the girls to "go back to fucking Africa," followed by a series of insults and racial slurs. The next month, minutes before the council read a proclamation in response to the incident, the meeting was again disrupted by racist comments, this time directed at a man speaking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Councilmembers vowed to aid the students in securing a school yurt to make up for the trauma they endured. That promise will come to fruition on Thursday, August 22, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the launch of the yurt alongside the girls and city officials.

"A hatred which intended to erode the students’ spirits instead sparked a fire," says Councilwoman Shontel Lewis, who led the push to help the girls. "Our city departments, city councilmembers, school board members, community members, school administrators and parents came together over the summer months to honor their request. And our council office made it happen."

The yurt will be used as a music classroom, says Laura Pretty, executive director of Monarch Montessori. According to Pretty, the school was struggling to navigate the city's permitting process and faced a wait time of over a year, which inspired the two students to ask the city council for help. After the incident, councilmembers expedited permitting for the yurt.

"Really, truly, if they hadn't spoken to the city council, we would not have that yurt," Pretty says. "I was told there's no way Denver would ever approve a yurt; the red tape is too complex for something innovative like this. ... I am very, very proud of the kids for doing this. I hope they learn from this, that it makes a difference when you speak and our democracy can work."

Pretty says the city is also working to improve walkability around the school, including making clearer crossing areas, improving school zone signage and reducing the car pickup line by changing surrounding streets from "no parking" to "loading" areas. Two other Monarch Montessori students signed up to testify about the school's walkability issues during the May council meeting, but were unable to speak because of the racist rant attacking the first two students who testified.

The racist diatribe left one of the girls in tears and unable to continue, while the other started her testimony over, repeating her plea for a yurt. After the meeting, councilmembers met with the girls and the other two Monarch Montessori students to discuss their proposals.

Numerous city officials also attended the girls' continuation ceremony the following week, including councilmembers and representatives from the mayor's office, the Denver Public Schools Board, the Montbello Organizing Committee and the Denver chapter of the NAACP. The guests brought a video filmed by Black leaders "showing support for student engagement in civic processes and support for the girls," Pretty says.

"I know all too well the courage it takes to not only stand in your power, but to speak courageously when facing true and utter hate," says Lewis, one of only three Black women ever elected to the council. "Through tears and sheer confusion, those beautiful elementary school students dug deep in their courage, stood firm in their commitments, and shared with councilmembers why they had come to the people's chambers: safe routes to school and expanded classroom space."

Since the incident, one of the girls has graduated from Monarch Montessori into middle school, while the other just started the fifth grade. Pretty says both girls are doing well, and the fifth-grader is excited to enjoy the new music space she advocated for.

"She's pretty proud, you can tell. Just the expression on her face," Pretty says. "I don't think it is a long-term trauma in their lives at this point. The support they have gotten from the community has been really positive. ... When I talked to [the sixth-grader's] mom about how she was doing, her mom was talking more about the transition to middle school."

The person who shouted the racial slurs at the girls was never identified, with council officials saying there is "no practical way" to find the perpetrator, as they spoke over Zoom, didn't turn on their camera and presumably used a fake name and a VPN to hide their location. Other Colorado cities, including Lakewood and Castle Rock, have limited or eliminated remote testimony options because of similar racist and anti-Semitic abuse during public comment sessions. Denver is not considering such restrictions.

This was the first time Monarch Montessori had organized students to speak at a city council meeting as part of an effort to raise up student voices. Denver recently expanded public comment sessions to prioritize first-time speakers and people under the age of eighteen.

Despite the trouble, Pretty says the school will continue allowing students to testify to the council. In fact, it's launching a student government program this year.

"I have no doubt we'll be coming back to city council," she says. And the council is ready to welcome them back.

"I am excited to see these girls step into their power, continue to speak from their hearts and lead in their courage," Lewis says. "I can’t wait to see what they inspire our city to accomplish next."