A proud graduate of Montbello High School, Dr. Easley devoted 25 years to education. Deputy Director of the Denver Scholarship Foundation. Ph.D. from American University. He would become the swing vote that changed DPS — and then face a recall for it.
In November 2010, Easley cast the deciding vote to close his own alma mater. The community called it their "Hurricane Katrina." The replacement schools mostly failed. A decade later, the board voted unanimously to reopen Montbello High.
Arturo Jimenez and Jeannie Kaplan endorsed Easley, then opposed him on every major vote. John McBride endorsed him, then filed the recall petition. The teachers' union backed him, then tried to remove him.