DENVER — The former principal for Denver's largest middle school plans to file a lawsuit against DPS in response to his firing next week, his attorney David Lane said Friday.
Kurt Dennis used to head McAuliffe International School.
Lane told Denver7 he believes Dennis was fired in "blatant retaliation for having talked to the media about very real safety concerns at his school and throughout DPS."
The district, in its own statement Thursday, told Denver7 the termination "had little to do with any media interviews, but rather the sharing of confidential student information in violation of state and federal laws."
The statement did not go into specifics.
Denver
Denver's largest middle school adds parent patrols to enhance security
In March, Dennis said in an interview with another Denver news outlet that administrators at McAuliffe had been performing similar pat downs to those being performed at East High School. Those pat downs garnered attention after a student shot to East High deans during one of the searches in March.
The next month, Dennis announced that parent volunteers would monitor the school entrances at McAuliffe, and adults with yellow vests would supervise and secure the exterior of the building.
The measure was in response to a string of violent school incidents, culminating in the shooting at East, which is just 2.5 miles from McAuliffe.
Denver7's Russell Haythorn spoke with parents who supported the decision to add security. They said the school, like others in the district, faced larger, more systemic issues like teachers afraid to discipline students who are acting up and disrupting the learning environment.
A change.org petition started Friday asking for Dennis to be reinstated as McAuliffe’s principal had received more than 1,300 signatures by 10 a.m.
Read the district's full statement on Dennis' firing below:
"Denver Public Schools is prohibited from sharing information related to confidential personnel matters. That being said, the district does not take these actions lightly. After review, the district recognized that there were some leadership concerns at McAuliffe International. The termination had little to do with any media interviews, but rather the sharing of confidential student information in violation of state and federal laws. The issues were thoroughly investigated and addressed accordingly. We hope the community understands the limitations imposed on us. With these limitations in mind, the district reserves the right to correct any misinformation related to this matter. We look forward to working with the school community to find a qualified replacement to continue to ensure that the students and educators at McAuliffe International thrive."
