DENVER — Following a shooting at East High School that left two deans injured, Denver Public Schools has been busy. On top of scrambling to fortify and add security measures at their schools, the district has also been on the receiving end of criticism and feedback from parents, students and staff.
This week, even more reaction surfaced. This time, by the Denver School Leaders Association, a union that represents roughly 300 principals and assistant principals within the district.
"We just really want to be a prominent voice in the discussion," said DSLA President Moira Coogan, who leads North Engagement Center.
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That's one reason DSLA sent a letter to DPS Monday, calling on the district to take the following actions:
- Review and revise the DPS discipline matrix and Policy JK and JK-R to eliminate vague descriptions of behaviors that are subject to interpretation, and to allow individual schools to develop plans in alignment with Article 18 of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association contract.
- Create a review panel composed of mental health staff, school leaders, and the DPS legal team that collaboratively oversees expulsion and placement processes to ensure that equity, student needs, and safety are consistently balanced.
- Implement an appropriate placement — developed in a manner consistent with state and federal laws — for students who have demonstrated a clear and present risk of harm to others.
- Revise enrollment policies and procedures to ensure that relevant student information is included in placement decisions, including adjudication, arrests, and charges.
- Increase protections for leaders who raise possible safety concerns regarding student safety and security concerns.
- Increase focus and support on the mental health of school leaders when dealing with personal grief and second-hand trauma, as well as the gravity of leading their communities through these events.
"The tragic incident at East highlighted that these actions must happen," Coogan said. "Our takeaway is, this is a time that we can be bold and have really meaningful conversations about stuff in safety."
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In a statement provided to Denver7 News, DPS said it looks forward to working with DSLA and other community partners in improving school safety.
Denver Public Schools looks forward to the opportunity to work with our community partners and all interested stakeholders, including DSLA, towards the safety and security of our schools. As a school district we are reviewing our disciplinary practices and looking for points of clarification and additional support we can provide to our students who may be struggling. This includes a thorough review of board policies and other internal structures and behavioral standards. We are overwhelmingly grateful for the patience of our community and families as we explore more of these issues and receive their valued feedback.
During the interim, DPS has initiated additional stopgaps including the increased presence of school resource officers (SROs) to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff. We are working to increase our offerings of mental health and social supports available including in schools so that everyone at DPS is provided the tools they need to cope and thrive in the wake of these events.
We look forward to a building partnership with the Denver Police Department, the Mayor's office, and our other community officials and members in addressing the national and local problem of gun violence. We agree with DSLA that gun violence and safety is more than a school issue and we will be working with our partners to address this fearlessly, and bolstered by the voices and concerns of our students and families.
