DENVER — In the wake of Wednesday’s shooting at East High School in Denver, the community is grappling with solutions to end gun violence in schools. It’s a reality Coloradans know all too well.
In April 1999, Frank DeAngelis was the principal at Columbine High School when a school shooting took the lives of 13, injuring more than 20 others.
Over the years since the Columbine tragedy, DeAngelis has been an active voice working to find solutions to gun violence in the classroom, including being a founding member of National Association of Secondary School Principals Recovery Network. The organization works to help school leaders and principals recover from gun violence and advocate for prevention programs, according to its website.
On Friday, DeAngelis joined Denver7 for a conversation about what needs to happen following the East High School shooting. Here's the interview presented in a Q&A format.
Q: Nicole Brady
We always appreciate your perspective on events like this. DPS has decided to bring back at school resource officers immediately in the wake of this violence. And we've heard discussion from both sides. What do you think about this move to bring back school resource officers to campus?
A: Frank DeAngelis, former Columbine High School Principal
I feel so strongly about school resource officers I feel they should have never been removed. At Columbine High School, we had school resource officers from the time I became principal back in the 90s.
These are not the bad cops. These are resources for our kids. I can't tell you the number of students trusted in our school resource officers.
And not all cops are meant to be school resource officers, but the training that they go through, they become part of our staff, they would be at our games they would be at our dances, they would be that one adult kids can confide it.
And so I am a strong proponent when I go out speaking around the country. I'm a strong proponent of SROs. You know, in Colorado, we have the Colorado Association of School Resource Officers, the National Association of School Resource Officers and all you have to do something that's very close to home a few years ago,
Officer Beasley was killed and he was I went to his memorial service and all the kids that just spoke so highly of him. So the school resource officers are important. And I'm so glad that Denver Public Schools are bringing them back.
Q: Nicole Brady
So what what else might be done? We know that this East High School suspect was already being patted down every day for weapons. From from your time as an administrator, did you see kids who came in who presented red flags? Or are we handling these students in the right way?
A: Frank DeAngelis
I think there is not one cure-all, but I think there's several things in the state of Colorado, we were one of the first schools that has an anonymous tip line, Safe-to-Tell.
And a lot of times with these kids broadcasting or doing things kids need to take care of each other. I think that's so important. But one of the things that I think needs to be done... that students are entitled to an education, but are they entitled to an education where you may be putting other students at risk?
I know, for example, in Jefferson County, we have schools in which kids have been expelled, that could possibly be a threat. But the schools are more regulated, they can wand kids down and things of that nature.
You know, I think what happened at East is very unfortunate. And I think back to myself as a principal. If something like that was to happen at Columbine, there was a risk that someone may have a weapon, I cannot see myself or another administrator doing it, we would bring in the school resource officer that would pat the kid down and he would have resource to stop if there was an actual threat like there was at East.
Q: Brian Sanders
I had a chance to talk to students after the lockdown at East High School who now have, you know, fears of dying or violence breaking out in the halls randomly and they're caught in the middle. Parents are scared as they try to talk their kids through these emotions. How can the district or the school help restore a sense of security before they return to the classroom?
A: Frank DeAngelis
Well, that was the biggest question I had. You know, after April 20, 1999. Parents were afraid. And they said to me, Frank, how can you guarantee? And there really were no guarantees. But we got to the point that I truly believe that we were probably one of the safest schools in the world.
And there was a fine line in between because I did have some students who came in afterwards and they said, Mr. D, we know you love us, we know you care about us. But a lot of times having all these officers, that makes us anxious.
I think the most important thing if a recommendation that I would give to Denver Public Schools is getting input from the parents getting input from the students, from the staff, and all of our kids in what the final decision has to be what is it going to do to keep all of our kids safe.
Because if a kid is hungry, if a kid does not feel safe, you could have the best academic programs out there. They're not going to learn and I think we experienced that a little bit with the pandemic.
