COLORADO SPRINGS — Academy School District 20 (D20) board member Derrick Wilburn is threatening to take legal action against a parent for calling him a child predator.
Wilburn's lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter, demanding this parent take back and apologize for public statements he said aren't true.
The letter accuses Bernadette Guthrie of calling Wilburn, "a danger to kids," "read pornographic to little kids because it arouses him," and "Raped a child in the mind."
During public comment at a board meeting, Guthrie addressed the letter.
"I will take the next minute and 30 seconds to apologize for the untrue statements I've made about Derrick Wilburn."
She remained silent.
Guthrie told me she stands by what she says and will continue to speak up to prevent further harm from what she calls predatory behavior.
Wilburn's lawyer said Guthrie's words have ruined his reputation and caused severe emotional distress.
This all started last October.
Parents previously petitioned for criminal charges against Wilburn. The district attorney's office said they haven't released a response to that petition.
Wilburn was attending a school board candidate forum for middle school students.
When asked about book bans at the forum, Wilburn read aloud a sexually graphic passage from the book 'Push.'
'Fat (bleep), bucket (bleep). (bleep) pig (bleep). all you tell them mother(bleep) at the (bleep) hospital? I should kill you, she screamed at me," said Wilburn.
Guthrie said her daughter was traumatized by what she heard.
At the forum, Wilburn did apologize to the crowd in advance for what they were about to hear.
D20 officials said the book push isn't in any middle or elementary school libraries.
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