Revealing the Recording of a High-Stakes Meeting after the East Shooting

Last Updated on July 24, 2023 by Robert C. Hoopes

Title: Denver School Board Faces Dispute Over Reinstating Police in Schools

In a closed-door meeting held recently, Denver school board members expressed their concerns and engaged in heated discussions following a shooting incident at East High School in March. Superintendent Alex Marrero faced intense criticism from the board, as he was accused of overriding their authority by reinstating police officers in schools.

Board Vice President Auon’tai Anderson raised concerns about personal safety, highlighting a lack of concern for injured deans. Marrero, on the other hand, cited the need for additional security measures. Tensions between the two were evident throughout the meeting, reflecting the divisive nature of the issue.

Media organizations fought a legal battle to gain access to a recording of the closed-door meeting. After much anticipation, the recording was released, shedding light on the board members’ discussions. Their views on the return of school resource officers (SROs) were mixed, with the acknowledgment that SROs alone would not solve the issue of gun violence.

While there was recognition of the community’s desire for SROs, board members emphasized the need for a thoughtful and careful implementation process. Surprisingly, the decision to reinstate SROs was made unanimously, without any public discussion.

A significant portion of the recording was redacted, specifically concerning the discussion of potential legal liability under the Claire Davis Act. This raised suspicions and led to a debate among board members on how to respond to Marrero’s decision and whether the meeting should have been public in the first place.

It is worth noting that the previous school board had unanimously voted in 2020 to remove SROs due to concerns of racist policing. This decision sparked a resolution to temporarily suspend the SRO ban, which stirred further debate on the governance structure.

Ultimately, the board decided to turn the resolution into a memo and held a brief public meeting to adopt it. However, media organizations such as Chalkbeat filed lawsuits, claiming that a significant policy decision had been made behind closed doors without proper notice of the meeting. The court subsequently ordered the release of the recording, leading the district to appeal the decision.

The board’s decision to temporarily reinstate SROs generated intense community and board debate on safety and discipline policies. Amidst the ongoing discussions, a vote was held on June 15, this time with a divided result regarding the reinstatement of SROs.

The debate on Denver’s safety and discipline policies continues to rage on, with stakeholders expressing a wide range of opinions. It remains to be seen how the board, the community, and the superintendent will ultimately address the concerns surrounding the use of police officers in schools.