Denver principals demand "second set of eyes" on controversial discipline policies

The president of the Denver School Leaders Association, Moira Coogan, spoke with CBS News Colorado Tuesday about its letter to DPS administrators and board members demanding a comprehensive review of discipline policies -- among other items -- to improve school safety citywide.

"It's actually about making sure that our policies are equitable and that all students have a safe and welcoming space, and we just believe that those policies need to be looked at with a second set of eyes," Coogan said. 

The letter also asks district leaders and board members to comprehensively review the district's expulsion policies, and create more mental health support for faculty members.

"So that they can help support the communities that they're leading, and be their best selves," Coogan said. 

While she spoke to CBS News Colorado in her capacity as head of the DSLA -- a fairly new union for principals across the district -- Coogan is also a principal herself at a school in DPS. 

"In the space of these tough conversations about student safety, and staff safety, there are also amazing things happening in each of our schools," Coogan said. "We have amazing students, we have amazing families, and we have amazing educators."

The DSLA's demand to DPS administrators to review its discipline policies does not appear to come out of thin air. Following tragic shootings at East High School this year, students, families and staff have been critical of the district's discipline policies and safety plans.  

As CBS News Colorado reported last week, some faculty at other schools felt the district's discipline policy changes in the fall of 2020 have limited schools' abilities to contact the police and expel students when students commit crimes on campus. Some school faculty have expressed those limitations have allowed dangerous students to return to campuses, and have created a culture where students aren't given strict consequences for bad behavior.

Discipline data from the Colorado Department of Education shows the number of expulsions, suspensions, and referrals to police across DPS have dropped significantly over the years, but in many other districts, their numbers have remained constant.

State education data shows in the 2018-2019 school year, DPS referred 657 students to law enforcement, but in the 2021-2022 school year, it referred only 125 students to police.

And in 2018-2019, Denver expelled 41 students, compared to only 19 expulsions last year.

Following the recent shooting at East High, in which two school deans were shot and injured, the DPS board reversed its policy banning school resource officers. That's something the principals union says it supports.

"Our letter reflects the feelings of our members, that we do believe that SROs are potentially part of a solution," Coogan said. "I think it's really important to note that SROs are not a panacea, they are not a one size fits all, and they won't be the only answer to addressing safety concerns."

Tuesday, Denver Public Schools issued the following statement regarding the DSLA letter:

"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), campus security officers (CSOs), and other law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of our faculty, families and students. We also have increased our offerings of mental health and social supports available including in school, district wide, and intimate tele-health opportunities 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."