The faces of D49’s tyranny—ruling through fear, intimidation, and retaliation against employees, community members, and even board members who dared to step out of line.
Lori Thompson. Rick Van Wieren John Graham Peter Hilts Brad A Miller
(real estate agent) (real estate agent) (real estate agent) Superintendent D49 lawyer
Up for Re-election Bully (14th yr district decline) Consigliere
**All 3 voted in lockstep for Peter Hilts’ woke/Marxist indoctrination**
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Original FB post by Watchdogs El Paso County 17Jul 2025. (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CAbgrwFzc/)
In a landmark victory for free speech, a District Court jury delivered a “Guilty” verdict against former D49 Board President John Graham for discriminating against two meeting attendees, Deb Schmidt (then D49 constituent and current board member) and Kelly Kohls of Moms for America, by expelling them into freezing single-digit temperatures for their viewpoints with which he disagreed. The plaintiffs were peacefully and discreetly holding “Resign” signs regarding John Graham, Lori Thompson, and Rick Van Wieren, but were removed by security staff at Graham’s irate command.
This ruling marks a turning point for D49, where a pattern of bullying and intimidation by Superintendent Peter Hilts and lawyer Brad Miller, along with the three fore-mentioned board members, has long silenced dissent.
The plaintiffs’ attorney highlighted Graham’s intentional discriminatory practices, noting Graham’s inaction when a disruptive leftist group attacked former board member Ivy Liu in November 2022 for her stance against racial and gender indoctrination and her advocacy for academic excellence. The blowup was over a Facebook post by Liu to warn parents not to repeat the history committed by Nazi Germany and Hitler who targeted the youth.
Peter Hilts, Brad Miller, Lori Thompson (currently seeking re-election in November), John Graham, and Rick Van Wieren seized the opportunity to severely tarnish former board member Ivy Liu’s reputation by accusing her of anti-semitic, and leveling eleven baseless criminal and civil allegations against her. With zero evidence to support their claims, their true intent to smear and defame Liu in her courageous stand against a powerful group in control of D49 was finally exposed.
This verdict sends a clear message to Hilts, Miller, Thompson, Graham, and Van Wieren: the intimidation of employees and board members, and the culture of “repercussions,” must end.
Today, justice triumphed. Deb Schmidt and Kelly Kohls secured a victory that resonates beyond their case, powerfully affirming the constitutional rights of all. Furthermore, the eight-person jury awarded additional damages against John Graham—an unusual but unmistakable indication of the egregious conduct by defendants John Graham, Peter Hilts, et al.
Shouldn’t the outcome of this costly case—funded by taxpayer dollars and not explicitly authroized by the board—warrant the immediate dismissal of the 13-year superintendent who has repeatedly failed this district, especially in delivering meaningful academic outcomes for students? And what about the board members complicit in enabling this failure—Lori Thompson, John Graham, and Rick Van Wieren? Their continued presence only deepens the district’s decline.
Perhaps Ivy Liu will find long-overdue comfort in this victory, knowing her brave stand for children, despite the vicious attacks she faced, has helped pave the way for justice. We extend gratitude to the eight-member jury and to God for this victory. May it herald a new era of accountability and respect for constitutional rights in D49.
Board President John Graham allowed this and similar signs at every meeting as long as the signs were AGAINST Ivy Liu.
Note the size of the signs and how high they were held during the entire meeting.
Note the size of the signs and how high they were held. The message on the signs bruised John’s ego, so the two women were thrown out into -2° temperatures, denied access to the restroom, and even barred from waiting in the foyer for their rides.
Comments:
“So happy to see this vindication of Ivy Liu, a strong defender for employees as well as for the children of D49!
Peter Hilts must resign and Lori should redraw her run for reelection, and resign now! Many current and former teachers have been silenced and or fired for going against the strong arm of Peter Hilts, Graham, Vanwerien, and Brad Miller! They should not have anything to do with education and the children’s lives!”
“This is major redemption for many former employees who have been wronged and either got fired or quit. This landmark ruling marks a turning point for D49, prayerfully signaling an end to corruption that has plagued D49.”
“The fact that both the former board president and D49 superintendent were caught making conflicting statements is telling- it reflects a deeper, deliberate pattern in D49, not an isolated incident. (Pants on fire.)
– Here’s yet another egregious lie in FEDERAL COURT: the claim that D49 revised its policy after the November 2022 coordinated attack against true conservative board member Ivy Liu. The truth? There was absolutely no discussion or board action regarding signage between November 2022 and February 2023, when John Graham unjustly targeted and ejected two women into below-zero temperatures.
– This was not only despicable behavior but also a blatant abuse of authority. Superintendent Hilts should be fired for his false testimony. Graham should be permanently disqualified from any future board service. And Lori Thompson—complicit in it all—must not be re-elected.
– The public is tired of being gaslit. These flagrant abuses of power must come to an end—now.”
“So excited that the court saw through the lies and you prevailed. It’s been a long hard road, so proud of you that you stuck it out. All this has been to get board members that want to do what’s best for the children and their education and not follow a woke agenda that does nothing to help them truly succeed.”
“Praise GOD !!!!!!! THESE GOOONS have imposed their evil globalist agendas on the precious children and staff AND DONE GREAT HARM TO IVY LIU AND MANY OTHERS WHO STOOD UP AGAINST THEM !!!!!!! JESUS REIGNS – Down goes the the Deep State.”
“Both Board President John Graham and D49 Superintendent Peter Hilts were caught in contradictions between their courtroom testimonies and sworn depositions, undermining their credibility. Finally, they are caught red-handed in what they often do in board meetings. What is a better word than “redemption?'”
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District 49 Just Keeps Losing—And We’re the Ones Paying
Let’s get something straight:
Yes, past lawsuits brought against District 49—the ones rooted in discrimination, free speech violations, and policy overreach—have been covered by insurance.
But what the insurance can’t cover is the cost of bad leadership.
And that’s exactly what brought those lawsuits here in the first place.
Poor decisions. Political grandstanding. Unconstitutional actions.
That’s not bad luck—that’s bad management.
But it gets worse:
District 49 is now on the offensive, having filed its own lawsuit—this time against CHSAA, the Colorado Attorney General, and the Civil Rights Division over a policy banning discrimination against transgender student athletes.
And this lawsuit? NOT covered by insurance.
This one is being paid for directly out of the district’s general fund.
That means: YOUR tax dollars. Your kids’ funding. Your community’s resources.
This district chose to spend public education dollars on a culture war instead of classrooms.
Instead of investing in students, they’re funding litigation. Instead of repairing schools, they’re chasing headlines. Instead of listening to reason, they’re digging in politically—and paying the price.Let’s not forget:
Over a year ago, during a public BOE meeting, Dr. Fletcher warned the board of a $160 million backlog in critical building maintenance across D49. This wasn’t about politics—this was about safety, infrastructure, and basic responsibility.
His tone said it all: this was urgent. This was real.
Yet leadership buried it beneath distractions.
Not a funding plan. Not a serious discussion.
Just silence—while they poured time and money into legal fights that serve no educational purpose.
All under the continued watch of:
Superintendent Peter Hilts, who remains in place with a six-figure salary and extra stipends while performance collapses around him.
Legal counsel Brad Miller, who’s been attached to this district for more than a decade, helping steer it into one costly legal crisis after another.
So here’s the truth:
If you continue making decisions that invite lawsuits, don’t pat yourself on the back when insurance pays the bill. If you choose to initiate lawsuits that drain student resources, you own every penny that disappears from the classroom. And if you ignore $160 million in infrastructure concerns while funding culture wars, you are unfit to lead anything—let alone a school district.We’ve reached a point where every bad decision is paid for by the people—and paid out of the future of our children.
This isn’t about politics.
It’s about priorities—and this leadership has made theirs painfully clear.
It’s time we make ours just as clear:
Accountability. Performance. And if necessary—replacement.
Because we’re not going to sit back and let our district be run like a political PAC when it’s supposed to be educating our kids.
— A Fed-Up D49 Parent & Taxpayer with a Long Memory and a Short Tolerance for Excuses”
“I heard from those who attended the trial that our two favorite D49 Imperial Wizards lied on the stands: Chest-pounding former president John Graham and D49 superintendent Peter Hills. Shocking—except not at all, as these two misrepresent frequently at board meetings. But is this considered “perjury?” Maybe someone should ask D49’s own fear-mongerer and enforcer, lawyer Brad Miller—the same attorney who scours social media on the district’s dime, hunting for dissenters to intimidate with lawsuits. Perhaps now that the courts are finally upholding constitutional rights, Miller’s era of lawfare and D49’s corruption will end. Is potential perjury a cause for termination of a nefarious superintendent?”
“I’m so happy for you Ivy Liu! What a tumultuous road you have been on and stood strong, regardless of how violently the winds blew. I’m so proud of you.”
This, i can see…