Denver public schools are considering implementing new safety guidelines and safety plans following an incident of gun violence at Denver East Highschool this March, where two deans were shot while patting down a student at the beginning of the school day.
The first draft of the preliminary plan was recently released by Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero and is already receiving feedback from a recently founded parent safety advocacy group, students, and Auon’tai Anderson, Vice President of the Denver School Board, who calls for a more comprehensive and inclusive safety plan.
Students and parents of Denver Public Schools are demanding change and a step in the right direction, starting with a reconstruction of the current safety procedures set in place by the district. The 48-page draft consists of many adjustments to the current plans in place, however many of those adjustments are left up to the schools to decide whether or not to implement.
“It is the recommendation of superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero to the board of education to allow all district-run high schools and 6th-12th grade campuses to engage their school communities to make a site-based decision regarding SROs on their campuses.” The first draft of the plan states.
“The determination of a weapon detection system at a school or district building will be a site-based decision with extensive community engagement.” Many are concerned about exacerbating the school-to-prison pipeline with the implementation of a plan that might be drastically different from school to school in regard to SROs and adding security devices in schools to screen visitors and students for weapons.
Voicing concerns about the safety plan draft, Auon’tai Anderson calls for a plan that focuses more on the school communities and the families that make up those communities.
“As a member of the Denver School Board, I cannot stand idly by while our schools face the risk of adopting an inadequate safety plan.” Anderson expresses this in a statement corresponding to the suggested safety plan.
“The recently released Draft 1.0 of the Denver Public Schools (DPS) Safety Plan, proposed by Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero, has left me deeply concerned about its potential impact on our diverse student body…Moreover, the plan’s suggestion to add metal detectors and school resource officers (SROs) to campuses could have dire consequences, especially in a district where over 80% of the students are people of color. Instead of fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment, this approach could perpetuate a sense of distrust and unease among students, further exacerbating the school-to-prison pipeline.”
Surveys currently in circulation encourage collaboration and feedback from DPS community members on the safety plan draft. Despite this, Families of color from the Far-Northeast and Southwest regions have expressed feeling excluded from the continuing conversation, while others raise concerns remarking about possible survey bias that could affect the credibility of the survey and as a result, the district where over 80% of the students are people of color.
“One of the most glaring issues with the proposed plan is its questionable basis on survey results that do not accurately represent the entire DPS community.” Anderson voices. “The survey disproportionately represents a minority of the students and families we serve, casting doubt on the validity of the plan and its potential effectiveness. Also, the survey could have been filled out by anyone that had access to it, meaning individuals from across the nation could have influenced its results.”
If the plan remains as it currently is, Anderson will vote against its implementation, and will actively lobby against it. Alternatively, Anderson has proposed some adjustments to ensure that campus security officers are responsible for conducting pat-downs when necessary, rather than school administration, and that they have the knowledge and training on how to effectively and empathetically communicate and interact with students. He also mentions that more mental health professionals are needed on site to adjust the inadequate ratio of 90,000 students to 400 professionals and ensure that students are getting the resources they need both academically and emotionally.
“In summary, our focus must be on addressing the diverse concerns of our district, including reforming pat-down procedures, investing in mental health resources, and advocating for community-driven solutions to gun violence. By doing so, we can work together to create a safer, more inclusive, and more nurturing educational environment for all Denver Public Schools students.” Anderson States. “To safeguard the future of our students, I urge Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero and the entire DPS community to reevaluate the proposed safety plan and work together to develop a more inclusive, effective, and equitable approach.”
The highly anticipated school safety plan is expected to be finalized in late June, feedback on the first draft can be contributed until May 21st, subsequently the second draft will be released on the 26th of the month, community feedback will continue to be requested on the second draft until June 4th.
Photo courtesy of Colorado Public Radio
