Back in March, KVNF reported that the Montrose County School District Board of Education voted to hire a controversial law firm. That firm, Miller Farmer Carlson Law, has raised some eyebrows among community members due to its founder, Brad Miller. Critics claim that Miller exerts a right-wing agenda on the school districts he represents, while his supporters say that he provides seasoned counsel that helps conservative boards find balance in a blue state.
After the Montrose School Board hired Miller, the conversation didn’t end. Several weeks later, the Delta County School Board put out a request for proposals for legal services, immediately stirring speculation that it was opening the door to Miller. His firm did not submit an application, and the decision to hire additional counsel is on hold until the vacant seat on the board is filled.
Following the intense public interest in Miller, KVNF is bringing you a series of voices and perspectives on his new role in Montrose. Yesterday, we aired clips of Miller speaking about his work at the 2023 Teachers’ Freedom Summit.
We hoped to speak directly with members of the Montrose School Board to better understand the decision to hire Miller’s firm. Unfortunately, none of them agreed to be interviewed. In her response to our request, Montrose Board Member Jody Hovde said, “I'm still navigating the new legal situation and we've been asked to defer comments to the Board President or District Office person in charge of communication.”
We turned to the Delta County School Board, and were able to speak with two members who hold opposing views of Miller and his work. Board President Beth Suppes refers to herself as a “Miller fan,” while member Dan Burke is wary of what he calls Millers’ “checkered past.”
Suppes told us that Miller provides support for conservative school boars who find themselves at odds with the state legislature's liberal majority.
Burke, however, sees Miller's past as "checkered." He says he's concerned about the costs school districts have faced after hiring Miller, and that a conservative agenda drives Miller's work.
As previously mentioned, Miller’s firm did not end up submitting a proposal. Suppes said she was surprised by that, and thought that perhaps Miller Farmer Carlson Law did not submit a proposal because the original request was not clear enough on the school board's needs.
Burke seemed relieved that Miller Farmer Carlson Law hadn't submitted a proposal, saying that he doesn't believe the firm is a good fit for Delta. He also said that his "radar goes up" when Miller's name is mentioned. He did, however, admit that Miller is an expert in school board legal issues.
Much of the conversation about the Delta School Board, at least online, is driven by the Delta County Schools Community Hub. The page, which is anonymous, has over 3,000 followers and has regularly posted critiques about Miller. We asked Suppes what she thought of the page, and she expressed concerns about the level of negativity. Suppes stated that she is dedicated to transparency and improvement, and wants to learn from criticism, but doesn't view the Hub as a helpful source.
Suppes and Burke provide just two opinions on the subject, but their responses to our questions show that Miller has become a divisive figure in school board politics on the Western Slope. His supporters view him as an experienced attorney allowing conservative school boards to govern effectively, while his detractors state that he places a political agenda over education.
Stay tuned for next weeks’ public affairs show, Local Motion, which will dive deeper into this contentious story. Local Motion airs at 5pm on Tuesdays and 10am on Saturdays, and is also available at kvnf.org or on Spotify.
