Appellate court affirms judge's decision lifting ban on DPS school founder

DENVER — An appellate court affirmed a decision by a federal judge last year , ordering Denver Public Schools to stop enforcing the district's ban on Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy Founder Brandon Pryor.

Pryor’s attorney made the announcement Tuesday.

Pryor filed a lawsuit against the district over the ban in 2022, alleging district leaders were violating his freedom of speech.

The district accused Pryor of “repeated abusive, bullying, threatening, and intimidating conduct directed at staff of Denver Public Schools” and cited Pryor’s social media posts.

Local News

Judge orders DPS to drop ban on Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy founder

Micah Smith 5:54 PM, Jan 02, 2023

In October of 2022, district leaders sent Pryor a letter informing him that he was banned from all school property.

“I feel vindicated” Pryor said in a statement. “I am glad that the retaliation that I experienced has been recognized. I look forward to continuing my work of building the STEAM Academy into a powerhouse school within DPS, just like the Historically Black Colleges and Universities that it is modeled on.”

Pryor served as a mentor, volunteer, and coach at Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy before he was banned from the campus.

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