Former Garfield Re-2 School Board President Tony May is facing a recall election on Aug. 27. Last year, May led efforts to implement American Birthright Standards, which ultimately failed to gain approval from the board after facing significant resistance from community members and district personnel​. Organizers of the recall petition that followed accused May of bullying community members and Re-2 staff members, misusing his position and more.

His opponent is Sott Bolitho, endorsed by the Coalition for Responsible Education in Re-2, who was profiled in the Post Independent and Citizen Telegram last week.

May resigned as board president in December, aiming to reduce political tensions.

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 “I wanted to lower the political temperature in the boardroom and focus on school business,” May said, expressing his reasons for stepping down.”

May continues his strong advocacy for ABS standards.

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 “Our students have the right to have command of very essential American legal social awareness,” he said. “I turned to this curriculum because it is an inclusive way to go after the depth that our young people deserve. It shouldn’t be crammed into one semester as a senior in high school. Ideals of America should be incorporated throughout each grade. My idea is inclusive rather than exclusive to any momentary political extreme.”

He believes the curriculum offers a depth of understanding that is currently lacking. May argues that the average graduate today knows very little about the American legal and social processes. He views the ABS curriculum as an inclusive approach to providing students with a comprehensive understanding of American history and principles.

May moved back to the United States after living in Canada for 11 winters, working as a chief technology officer and IT consultant for oil and gas companies and teaching disabled children to ski. He met his wife on an Alaskan fishing trip and has since been active in coaching his daughter’s sports teams.

One of May’s primary concerns is the district’s low test scores. 

“The number one issue in our school district is the decreasing to stagnate pathway of test scores in the 30th percentile,” May said. “The reason I got involved in the school board was to move towards a solution to lift them up and raise the bar for our kids. The best way to lift them up is to give them a great education.”

May also emphasized the importance of the Garfield Re-2 strategic plan, which aims to achieve approximately 36% proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics on CMAS tests. The district’s goal is to increase this to 50% within the next three years, aligning with or surpassing the state level.

“We have been able to deliver a spectrum of groundwork accomplished together using the strategic plan as the boiler plate that gives me optimism for the future,” May said. “I have appreciated the constructive public comment and supermarket conversations on the positive changes of hope for our district. These constructive and positive changes of the Strategic Plan are big goals and do these hard things steadily, methodically, deliberately, to deliver a student with higher test score results,” May said. “We don’t need to be afraid of these big goals, we used to do this as a country and it made us extraordinary.”

May’s experience extends beyond the school board. He serves as president of his HOA and a Fire Mitigation District and is involved with the Garfield County 4-H Shooting Council and the CRBOCES board.

“I have had success working collaboratively with my neighbors over an entire summer to implement a new set of by-laws that brought cooperative success and kindled friendships that will last a lifetime,” May said.

May said he plans to focus on returning the district to exceptional educational standards if reelected. 

“Since sitting at our kitchen table and witnessing the disaster of going to online teaching, if there is something I can do to help, to correct and redirect, to get back to where the district is part of an exceptional educational system, I’m all about it,” May said.