We, the undersigned parents, staff, students, and community members of Academy School District 20, respectfully urge the Superintendent and the Board of Education to reject the hiring of Brad Miller as legal counsel for our district.

This request is grounded in serious and well-documented concerns about conflicts of interest, transparency, cost escalation, and the misuse of public school districts as ideological legal test cases.

Our concerns include, but are not limited to:

Lack of Transparency
The process surrounding this potential hire has not demonstrated the openness or community engagement expected of a district entrusted with public funds. Decisions of this magnitude require clarity, disclosure, and meaningful public accountability.

Escalating Legal Costs in Other Districts
Districts that have retained Mr. Miller have experienced significant increases in legal expenditures, often tied to aggressive litigation strategies rather than routine counsel. D20 taxpayers should not be asked to subsidize avoidable legal battles.

Use of School Districts as Legal Test Cases
Mr. Miller has a documented history of engaging districts in ideologically driven litigation, turning local school systems into vehicles for broader political agendas. Our schools exist to educate students, not to serve as laboratories for legal or cultural experimentation.

Conflict of Interest Risks
Brad Miller has professional and organizational ties that intersect directly with current D20 board members and affiliated nonprofits. Even the appearance of overlapping financial or governance relationships undermines public confidence and exposes the district to ethical and legal risk.

Exposure to Unnecessary Liability
Litigation-forward legal strategies increase the likelihood of costly lawsuits, regulatory scrutiny, and reputational harm—diverting time, money, and attention away from classrooms, teachers, and students.

Our position is clear:

Academy District 20 needs independent, non-ideological legal counsel focused on:

• Student well-being
• Fiscal responsibility
• Compliance
• Risk reduction
• Community trust

Hiring Brad Miller would move the district in the opposite direction.

Our request to the Superintendent and the Board

We call on the D20 Board of Education to:

• Immediately halt any effort to retain Brad Miller as district counsel
• Commit to a transparent, competitive, and publicly accountable legal hiring process
• Select counsel with a demonstrated record of neutrality, restraint, cost control, and dedication to the equitable public education system required by the Colorado Constitution.

Our schools deserve leadership that puts students, educators, and the community first, not politics, litigation, or personal networks.

Signed,

Concerned Members of the Academy District 20 Community