Do people at Denver’s largest middle school understand that school policy is to keep attempted first degree murderers enrolled? Sitting inches away from your eleven year old who might at least be allowed to know enough to try really hard not to piss him off? Can the school show that this lethally negligent policy has been announced on a regular basis over the PA system and at Back to School nights, and sent out in letters and emails to the community? (Does ‘PA system’ age me?)
Shortly after learning about [the Denver school system’s latest (double) attempted murder, McAuliffe’s principal Kurt] Dennis said he and his staff attempted to convince DPS to let [a student of theirs charged with attempted murder] perform online classes.
That request was denied by the district.
He then asked the district to expel the student.
That request was also denied.
In a document obtained by 9NEWS, the Student Discipline Program Manager said, “As there is no evidence that [the student] was in possession of a firearm on his school grounds or at any other DPS school, the request for an extended suspension and expulsion hearing is denied. Please return the student to school.”
And implement the procedure in place at East High School: Get a couple of random untrained unarmed administrators to pat him down every day for weapons.
Sure, one of the two administrators is now in critical condition a week after the student tried to kill the guy… But the other guy was only lightly wounded in the attack, which tells you that the killer can only handle one guy at a time! What is your problem, wimp? This is Colorado! Cowboy country! East High’s district school board voted two years ago to remove all armed guards, giving would-be killers a totally free hand! Where’s your courage?
[‘The reckless and absurd expulsion of police by Denver’s notoriously dysfunctional school board was a political stunt. It was intended as a swipe at police in 2020 after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis’.]
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The real question, though, is where’s the DPS’s money. Assuming something short of full disclosure of its MURDERER? C’MON DOWN! policy to its sitting duck community, we can expect insanely prolific lawsuits against the district, which better be working on passing the buck bigtime right now. We were only following orders!
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Watch the local tv report/interview at the top of the page. Both reporters wonder “what the bar is” for denying school entry to homicidally violent students. If attempted murder isn’t enough, what is?
UD says: Expulsion will be considered if and only if your victims have been dismembered. Some schools have a slightly higher bar, known among Student Discipline Program Managers as the Dahmer Rule: Students will need to show dismemberment and cannibalism to receive an expulsion order.
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What’s the witches’ brew? How can this possibly be happening?
- Guns are nothing in this country. Four hundred million of them are out and about – and I mean out, cuz in lots of places, certainly including Colorado, just about everybody gets to open carry. Guns are like flashlights or binoculars – totally unremarkable parts of the landscape. So one of the kids in one of your schools shot someone up. Big deal. He can go back to school. Some day soon, Lord willing, all students, faculty and administrators will open carry throughout the school day. THEN everyone will be safe.
- If you treat would-be murderers like would-be murderers, they’ll end up in jail. Keep them in school and they won’t go to jail: Quod erat demonstrandum.
- Number Three is institutional stupidity. Just rank stupidity, from the school board up to the superintendent. You can’t do anything about all the guns, but you can certainly remove these people and administer IQ tests to new candidates.
March 26th, 2023 at 11:55AM
At risk of belaboring or perhaps entirely missing the point:
Do you have the people (what American business schools call “bench depth”) to effect any change?
Will they work for the terms on offer? I read, perhaps here, that school oversight boards are routinely threatened with bodily harm or worse
Are IQ tests still in vogue?
March 26th, 2023 at 5:17PM
Yes, IQ tests – updated – are still in use, if not in vogue.
A strong majority of Americans favors gun control of various kinds; and of course almost all American parents and young people are terrified of the non-stop wave of shootings in schools and universities. I am confident that these numbers, and growing rage at the bloodshed, will move more and more states toward rationality.
March 26th, 2023 at 10:38PM
Aren’t even moderate control laws being struck down as fast as they are passed? As I understand it states are subordinate to the national courts/Supreme Court.
March 27th, 2023 at 10:23AM
The situation is complicated and shifting, but yes, localities tend to be restricted in their ability to pass gun control legislation. Details here.
But note:
“Cities have been trying to pass their own laws to protect their residents from gun violence—including Boulder, the site of a tragic mass shooting in March—only to be thwarted by state governments.” [Update: As of June 19, 2021, Colorado allows local governments to set their own gun regulations.]
So that’s one sign of change in the right direction.
March 27th, 2023 at 7:29PM
No reply is appropriate given the events of the day.
I hope that some sense will prevail and soon.
March 27th, 2023 at 8:12PM
Agreed.