thedenverpost--2020-10-04--In person, virtual, hybrid: Teen Columnists on how local leaders are handling COVID-19 in schools

Young Coloradans are incredibly passionate about this election , but many can ’ t vote themselves .
So we asked teens what they wanted voters to keep in mind as they cast their ballots this November .
Here ’ s what they have to say about how schools and other local leadership are handling the coronavirus pandemic .
Read what teens have to say about the presidential race , Colorado ’ s senate race , climate change and policing in schools .
Have you ever tried to wrangle a hyperactive seven year old into sitting through a zoom meeting ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ five minutes ’ worth of online work ?
If you happen to be one of the many parents stuck at home playing teacher , you are not alone .
Getting a child to absorb any online learning is no easy feat , particularly for younger children accustomed to doing hands-on activities .
For children with learning disabilities the situation becomes ten times worse , and the “ information highway ” turns into something more resembling gridlock traffic on I-70 .
So what are the parents of disabled children to do ?
My younger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already difficult for them to absorb information in school , but through a computer , it is practically impossible .
With no in-school learning in sight , it doesn ’ t seem my brothers will get the education afforded to everyone under federal law .
“ School days ” are reserved for watching my dad ’ s blood pressure steadily rise as he tries to teach .
Online learning has been a struggle not only for our family , but for families across the United States .
It ’ s not only less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck teaching their kids instead of working .
In-person learning is not without its own risks .
It ’ s hard to imagine a school environment in which 500 children manage to keep masks on and stay six feet apart from each other at all times .
There doesn ’ t seem to be an effective way to bring kids back to school without exposing them to COVID-19 .
Amongst the parents I babysit for , there ’ s been discussion of hiring private educators to teach their children .
While perhaps one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiring a teacher presents a whole new set of problems for lower-income families .
It costs , on average , $ 40 an hour to hire a teacher .
Eight hours a day , five times a week — the bill becomes more than many can afford .
School districts are doing their best to manage parent and student expectations .
There is not one clear-cut solution everyone can get behind .
Online learning is inconvenient and ineffective , while in-person learning may spread COVID .
Speaking as someone who had their senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their graduation ruined , I believe that we need to stay six feet apart , keep our masks on , and vote for someone who will give our children the education they deserve .
On August 24th , I threw the last four months away and stomped on them .
Those days of loneliness and struggle , all for nothing .
I spent months tucked away , not to protect myself , but to prevent the deaths of others .
And on that smoky Monday , every minute was made worthless .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going completely online .
Access to an equal education as my peers , or a year of unspecific , unchallenging , and useless classes .
A year of extracurriculars thrown away means three more spent paying off college .
A year of simple classes could even mean a simpler future .
When it comes down to it , four months wasted is still better than twelve .
So sure , there was a “ choice , ” but was there really ?
I walked into school that first day and saw how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N95s , how the one-way hallways and separated desks were all my district could offer .
A high school of 2,000 kids broken into halves and teachers are expected to organize online learning for one group while teaching the other in-person .
At the same time .
It makes sense — if my school decreased staff pay and had severe layoffs last year , how can it fund safety procedures now ?
My district can ’ t possibly give students the education and protection they deserve while cutting $ 4.2 million , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that ’ s nothing compared to next year ’ s plans .
For 2021-22 , $ 12 million will be slashed if taxpayers don ’ t approve a last-ditch mill levy increase .
$ 12 million .
In one district .
For one year .
Emergency COVID-19 funding was only a drop in the ocean compared to the baseline money schools need , and it doesn ’ t hide how K-12 programs can ’ t keep their heads above the surface regardless of coronavirus .
So , it ’ s no surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high schools have had outbreaks spread like wildfire .
But , like me , what choices did the district have ?
The administration isn ’ t at fault — the money can only be stretched so thin .
It ’ s Colorado ’ s fault , and Colorado can do better .
This state is better than the $ 9 billion withheld from schools since 2009 .
We ’ re better than this , and the voters know it too .
I don ’ t think anyone was prepared for the outrageous year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every month providing a new surprise , event , or change to our everyday lives .
As a student , if someone had told me that I would be spending my sophomore year of high school meeting my teachers through Google Meets , I would have laughed .
If someone had told me that a global pandemic would sweep through the world , taking hundreds of thousands of lives with it , I would never have believed it .
At first , I was surprised and angry that I would be starting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more I think about it , the more I realize that for the safety of students , teachers , and parents , this is necessary .
Schools that have reopened are already facing problems as COVID-19 inevitably finds its way into their buildings , jeopardizing the health of anyone who is inside .
And while the negative effects of infection are less severe in younger demographics , the risk of transmission to family , teachers , staff , and at-risk relatives and friends is the real reason to fear in-person learning .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ classes , they reduce the risk of students bringing infection home along-side their homework .
In my family , masks and social distancing have been expected , not only because it is the most proven way to stop the spread , but also because my mother is “ at-risk ” .
This means that if one of us brings it home , the health impacts would be devastating .
Every time I pass someone in public who is not wearing a mask , I am terrified at the thought that they could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scariest part of this all , the not knowing .
While at school , checking to see if students were infected would be even harder due to the less severe symptoms demonstrated in younger people .
On top of that , wearing a mask for up to eight hours a day would be difficult for everyone , especially younger students who are not used to having to wear one .
It ’ s obvious that not everyone enjoys sitting in front of their computer for hours a day , but the alternative would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is under control , schools should not reopen .
The usually crowded courtyard and cafeteria are scattered with students here and there .
Classrooms are completely silent as teachers take roll .
Conversations in and out of classes are quiet , almost non-existent .
Fewer people show up to school every week with COVID cases growing and students being sent home to quarantine .
It feels ominous being back in a place that was once filled with constant screaming and laughter high only to see it empty , silent , and uneasy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ constant thought running through every person ’ s mind : when will we be sent home full time ?
Everyone knows it ’ s not a matter of if , but when .
Unfortunately for many students like myself , that just feels like a ticking bomb waiting to explode .
That fallout means online learning , which to put it lightly , is a disaster .
Sure , only interacting with my friends with masks on and separated from each other at school feels surreal and unnatural , but if it means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home full time , it ’ s worth it .
The alternative involves my parents bursting into my room every half hour to check in on me to make sure I ’ m still okay and forcing myself to stare at my computer screen all day without absorbing any information .
Having the constant thought lingering in my head that I might be forced into this option seems like a nightmare , and the only thing preventing that from happening is people actually wanting to take action and deciding not to gather in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have to .
But realistically and sadly , I know this is asking for a lot .
I know people are tired .
We ’ re tired of quarantine , of not having things go back to normal , and of having to halt life plans during such a crucial time .
Trust me , so am I .
As a senior , I want nothing more than to finish this last year before I leave for college as normally as possible , but everyone is sacrificing something right now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from getting worse and making things go back to normal , doing the right thing is as easy as staying at home when you can , and wearing a mask when you have to leave and not gathering in large groups .
And even more importantly , voting for people who will help enforce these things .
My peers and I are taking wagers on how long school is going to be in-person .
As a rising high school senior , I ’ m heartbroken about losing out on a year I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
As a future college student , I ’ m mortified about having to undertake the seemingly impossible task of college applications from home .
As a human being , I can see no other safe way to move forward .
For the most part the cavalier attitudes of those in positions of power is frustrating .
It ’ s not simple to conflate educators who are so slow to learn from the lessons from other districts and the risk we run in doing this incorrectly .
Across the nation young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines are being explicitly ignored , and teachers are being hospitalized .
Running the gamut and hoping for the best when the risks are so high is irresponsible at best and unequivocally cruel at worst .
In Douglas County , there are two options for students going back to school , they ’ re both seriously flawed .
Students can do full time online learning that is only facilitated by teachers , for the most part none of the courses will be collaborative with students ’ peers , and there ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered to students .
When I signed up for my classes in January , I etched my schedule with almost all AP classes , only 1 of which is offered online .
Which leaves me , and so many other high achieving students in Douglas County , with an online and in school hybrid schooling option .
The Douglas County School District wants students to go to school only two days a week in “ cohorts ” hoping to limit exposure and capacity , the other three days of the week will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that means that 1,000 students will still be in my high school every day , and because of budget cuts , we ’ ve been over-capacity for about a decade now , meaning my school will be just 200 students shy of its intended 1200 student capacity every day .
“ Daily cleanings ” and “ providing teachers with monthly cleaning supplies ” will not suffice in curbing the spread likely to occur in hundreds of teenagers .
There is no perfect way to go back to school this year , but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informed ways .
Districts need to prioritize safety and just have students stay home until we can go back without reservation .
None of us want to deal with the mania of education alone , but then again none of us want to be living through a pandemic either , but we all want to save lives , a way we can do that , the only way we can do that , is to not risk them in the first place .
Students should not have to choose between their education and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 poses a particular risk to those with weakened immune systems and the elderly and many students live with someone who meets those criteria .
While partially reopening schools and taking precautions such as masks and reduced class size lowers the risk enough for some families ’ comfort , others are making the decision to return with much higher stakes .
Homeschooling is not always an option .
Many students come from single-parent or two-working-parent families .
Higher-level classes and courses for high schoolers may be beyond the level at which parents are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue of families with multiple school-aged children ; parents would have to split their attention between multiple grades and subjects .
Those families most endangered by COVID are often the ones most unable to homeschool due to the added strain of caring for elderly dependants or those with immune compromising conditions .
It is unfair to ask students to significantly reduce their quality of education by consenting to homeschool in unfavorable circumstances .
Even in school districts where students have the option of online school , the decision can still come with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Poudre School District , for example , students opting to learn exclusively online are unable to participate , continue , or enroll in the IB program , an advanced high school program akin to AP but without the cost , even if they spent their previous high school years putting in the extra time and effort .
This leaves students scrambling .
Gifted scholars are left with the option of graduating without the additional credentials exclusive universities are looking for or needing to find the money for the unexpected cost of AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are struggling financially .
Be there no mistake , the gradual reopening of highschools works well for some students and in some cases helps take additional pressure off of them and their families .
However , school districts can not operate under the assumption that all teenagers are living and learning in the same circumstances .
As Colorado decides how and when to revive its education programs , we must provide options for all students in every situation .
Subscribe to our newsletter , Sound Off , to get opinion news sent straight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Jim Carr, Special to The Denver Post
Young Coloradans are incredibly passionate about this election, but many can’t vote themselves. So we asked teens what they wanted voters to keep in mind as they cast their ballots this November.
DENVER POST TEEN COLUMNISTS Want to be a part of our Teen Columnists project in the future? Sign up here and we’ll notify you when we reopen for submissions.
Here’s what they have to say about how schools and other local leadership are handling the coronavirus pandemic.
Read what teens have to say about the presidential race, Colorado’s senate race, climate change and policing in schools.
Have you ever tried to wrangle a hyperactive seven year old into sitting through a zoom meeting? Found yourself bribing your child to complete five minutes’ worth of online work? If you happen to be one of the many parents stuck at home playing teacher, you are not alone.
Getting a child to absorb any online learning is no easy feat, particularly for younger children accustomed to doing hands-on activities. For children with learning disabilities the situation becomes ten times worse, and the “information highway” turns into something more resembling gridlock traffic on I-70. So what are the parents of disabled children to do?
My younger brothers have learning disabilities. It is already difficult for them to absorb information in school, but through a computer, it is practically impossible. With no in-school learning in sight, it doesn’t seem my brothers will get the education afforded to everyone under federal law.
“School days” are reserved for watching my dad’s blood pressure steadily rise as he tries to teach. Online learning has been a struggle not only for our family, but for families across the United States. It’s not only less effective but causes financial strain on parents stuck teaching their kids instead of working.
In-person learning is not without its own risks. It’s hard to imagine a school environment in which 500 children manage to keep masks on and stay six feet apart from each other at all times. There doesn’t seem to be an effective way to bring kids back to school without exposing them to COVID-19.
Amongst the parents I babysit for, there’s been discussion of hiring private educators to teach their children. While perhaps one solution to guaranteeing a quality education, hiring a teacher presents a whole new set of problems for lower-income families. It costs, on average, $40 an hour to hire a teacher. Eight hours a day, five times a week — the bill becomes more than many can afford.
School districts are doing their best to manage parent and student expectations. There is not one clear-cut solution everyone can get behind. Online learning is inconvenient and ineffective, while in-person learning may spread COVID. Speaking as someone who had their senior year of high school shut down and their graduation ruined, I believe that we need to stay six feet apart, keep our masks on, and vote for someone who will give our children the education they deserve.
— Aja D Bos, 18, Fairview High School
On August 24th, I threw the last four months away and stomped on them. Those days of loneliness and struggle, all for nothing. I spent months tucked away, not to protect myself, but to prevent the deaths of others. And on that smoky Monday, every minute was made worthless. What choice did I have? In-person or going completely online. Access to an equal education as my peers, or a year of unspecific, unchallenging, and useless classes. A year of extracurriculars thrown away means three more spent paying off college. A year of simple classes could even mean a simpler future. When it comes down to it, four months wasted is still better than twelve. So sure, there was a “choice,” but was there really? I walked into school that first day and saw how the staff hadn’t been fitted with N95s, how the one-way hallways and separated desks were all my district could offer. A high school of 2,000 kids broken into halves and teachers are expected to organize online learning for one group while teaching the other in-person. At the same time.
It makes sense — if my school decreased staff pay and had severe layoffs last year, how can it fund safety procedures now? My district can’t possibly give students the education and protection they deserve while cutting $4.2 million, including 17 people from their central office. And that’s nothing compared to next year’s plans. For 2021-22, $12 million will be slashed if taxpayers don’t approve a last-ditch mill levy increase. $12 million. In one district. For one year. Emergency COVID-19 funding was only a drop in the ocean compared to the baseline money schools need, and it doesn’t hide how K-12 programs can’t keep their heads above the surface regardless of coronavirus.
So, it’s no surprise that half of my district’s high schools have had outbreaks spread like wildfire. But, like me, what choices did the district have? The administration isn’t at fault — the money can only be stretched so thin. It’s Colorado’s fault, and Colorado can do better. This state is better than the $9 billion withheld from schools since 2009. We’re better than this, and the voters know it too.
— Leah Grier, 15, Arapahoe High School
I don’t think anyone was prepared for the outrageous year that 2020 has been, with almost every month providing a new surprise, event, or change to our everyday lives. As a student, if someone had told me that I would be spending my sophomore year of high school meeting my teachers through Google Meets, I would have laughed. If someone had told me that a global pandemic would sweep through the world, taking hundreds of thousands of lives with it, I would never have believed it.
At first, I was surprised and angry that I would be starting the school year online. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that for the safety of students, teachers, and parents, this is necessary. Schools that have reopened are already facing problems as COVID-19 inevitably finds its way into their buildings, jeopardizing the health of anyone who is inside. And while the negative effects of infection are less severe in younger demographics, the risk of transmission to family, teachers, staff, and at-risk relatives and friends is the real reason to fear in-person learning. Although no one seems particularly happy about virtual classes, they reduce the risk of students bringing infection home along-side their homework.
In my family, masks and social distancing have been expected, not only because it is the most proven way to stop the spread, but also because my mother is “at-risk”. This means that if one of us brings it home, the health impacts would be devastating. Every time I pass someone in public who is not wearing a mask, I am terrified at the thought that they could have it without knowing. That is the scariest part of this all, the not knowing. While at school, checking to see if students were infected would be even harder due to the less severe symptoms demonstrated in younger people. On top of that, wearing a mask for up to eight hours a day would be difficult for everyone, especially younger students who are not used to having to wear one. It’s obvious that not everyone enjoys sitting in front of their computer for hours a day, but the alternative would be so much worse. Until this is under control, schools should not reopen.
— Ella Bloch, 15, Denver East High School
The usually crowded courtyard and cafeteria are scattered with students here and there. Classrooms are completely silent as teachers take roll. Conversations in and out of classes are quiet, almost non-existent. Fewer people show up to school every week with COVID cases growing and students being sent home to quarantine.
It feels ominous being back in a place that was once filled with constant screaming and laughter high only to see it empty, silent, and uneasy.
More than anything, there is one constant thought running through every person’s mind: when will we be sent home full time? Everyone knows it’s not a matter of if, but when. Unfortunately for many students like myself, that just feels like a ticking bomb waiting to explode.
That fallout means online learning, which to put it lightly, is a disaster. Sure, only interacting with my friends with masks on and separated from each other at school feels surreal and unnatural, but if it means I’m not forced to go home full time, it’s worth it. The alternative involves my parents bursting into my room every half hour to check in on me to make sure I’m still okay and forcing myself to stare at my computer screen all day without absorbing any information.
Having the constant thought lingering in my head that I might be forced into this option seems like a nightmare, and the only thing preventing that from happening is people actually wanting to take action and deciding not to gather in large groups without masks when they don’t have to. But realistically and sadly, I know this is asking for a lot.
I know people are tired. We’re tired of quarantine, of not having things go back to normal, and of having to halt life plans during such a crucial time. Trust me, so am I. As a senior, I want nothing more than to finish this last year before I leave for college as normally as possible, but everyone is sacrificing something right now.
If people really want to prevent things from getting worse and making things go back to normal, doing the right thing is as easy as staying at home when you can, and wearing a mask when you have to leave and not gathering in large groups. And even more importantly, voting for people who will help enforce these things.
— Jane McCauley, 17, Cherry Creek High School
My peers and I are taking wagers on how long school is going to be in-person. As a rising high school senior, I’m heartbroken about losing out on a year I’ve been working so hard to get to. As a future college student, I’m mortified about having to undertake the seemingly impossible task of college applications from home. As a human being, I can see no other safe way to move forward.
For the most part the cavalier attitudes of those in positions of power is frustrating. It’s not simple to conflate educators who are so slow to learn from the lessons from other districts and the risk we run in doing this incorrectly. Across the nation young people are infecting classrooms in days, safety guidelines are being explicitly ignored, and teachers are being hospitalized. Running the gamut and hoping for the best when the risks are so high is irresponsible at best and unequivocally cruel at worst.
In Douglas County, there are two options for students going back to school, they’re both seriously flawed. Students can do full time online learning that is only facilitated by teachers, for the most part none of the courses will be collaborative with students’ peers, and there’s a serious limit on the most advanced classes offered to students. When I signed up for my classes in January, I etched my schedule with almost all AP classes, only 1 of which is offered online.
Which leaves me, and so many other high achieving students in Douglas County, with an online and in school hybrid schooling option. The Douglas County School District wants students to go to school only two days a week in “cohorts” hoping to limit exposure and capacity, the other three days of the week will be online and independent learning. However, that means that 1,000 students will still be in my high school every day, and because of budget cuts, we’ve been over-capacity for about a decade now, meaning my school will be just 200 students shy of its intended 1200 student capacity every day. “Daily cleanings” and “providing teachers with monthly cleaning supplies” will not suffice in curbing the spread likely to occur in hundreds of teenagers.
There is no perfect way to go back to school this year, but there are safer, less expensive, more informed ways. Districts need to prioritize safety and just have students stay home until we can go back without reservation. None of us want to deal with the mania of education alone, but then again none of us want to be living through a pandemic either, but we all want to save lives, a way we can do that, the only way we can do that, is to not risk them in the first place.
— Leigh Walden, 17, Castle View High School
Students should not have to choose between their education and the safety of their loved ones. COVID-19 poses a particular risk to those with weakened immune systems and the elderly and many students live with someone who meets those criteria. While partially reopening schools and taking precautions such as masks and reduced class size lowers the risk enough for some families’ comfort, others are making the decision to return with much higher stakes.
Homeschooling is not always an option. Many students come from single-parent or two-working-parent families. Higher-level classes and courses for high schoolers may be beyond the level at which parents are equipped to teach. There is also the issue of families with multiple school-aged children; parents would have to split their attention between multiple grades and subjects. Those families most endangered by COVID are often the ones most unable to homeschool due to the added strain of caring for elderly dependants or those with immune compromising conditions. It is unfair to ask students to significantly reduce their quality of education by consenting to homeschool in unfavorable circumstances.
Even in school districts where students have the option of online school, the decision can still come with setbacks or reduced quality of education. In Poudre School District, for example, students opting to learn exclusively online are unable to participate, continue, or enroll in the IB program, an advanced high school program akin to AP but without the cost, even if they spent their previous high school years putting in the extra time and effort. This leaves students scrambling. Gifted scholars are left with the option of graduating without the additional credentials exclusive universities are looking for or needing to find the money for the unexpected cost of AP classes at a time when many families are struggling financially.
Be there no mistake, the gradual reopening of highschools works well for some students and in some cases helps take additional pressure off of them and their families. However, school districts cannot operate under the assumption that all teenagers are living and learning in the same circumstances. As Colorado decides how and when to revive its education programs, we must provide options for all students in every situation.
— Lucy Gregory, 16, Poudre High School
Subscribe to our newsletter, Sound Off, to get opinion news sent straight to your inbox.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-10-04--DIA and Southwest Airlines try to calm travelers’ nerves ahead of holiday travel season

Tom Starr , Southwest Airlines ’ general manager at Denver International Airport , donned a surgical mask and safety vest Tuesday morning .
Just after 10 a.m. he called for the attention of the corporate travel managers gathered around him .
He was about to lead them on a tour from the check-in counter to a Southwest gate on the airport ’ s Concourse C with a focus on COVID-19 safety and cleaning efforts .
“ My goal is to walk you through what travelers will experience , ” Starr said , “ and help us all build some confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down about 68 % in late September compared to the same time in 2019 , according to DIA officials .
During the week of Sept. 20-26 , 214,459 people passed through the airport ’ s security lines , 53 % fewer than the same week in 2019 , officials say .
But Denver ’ s airport is seeing more people than most .
“ We have been about 10 % above the national leverage in terms of recovery that last few months , ” DIA CEO Kim Day said .
“ Many days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. ” It ’ s a situation that puts would-be travelers concerned about possible exposure to the coronavirus in a tough spot .
Even with 50-60 % fewer people passing through the airport , DIA , which served nearly 70 million passengers in 2019 , can be a busy place .
Any amount of crowding at check-in counters , security lines or aboard DIA ’ s train connecting the terminal with the concourses could scare people off .
With the critical holiday travel season approaching , airlines like Southwest and airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to highlight safety procedures and new programs designed to combat the spread of coronavirus and give travelers enough peace of mind to return to the skies .
On Tuesday ’ s tour , Starr highlighted Southwest ’ s use of electrostatic sprayers to apply disinfectant to the check-in counter and kiosks nightly .
He showed off one of the digital thermometers Southwest uses to check every employee ’ s temperature daily .
Dave Harvey , the airline ’ s vice president of business travel , highlighted Southwest ’ s efforts to support corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to allowing those clients to managing money already invested in unused tickets .
Once through security and off the train — the airport ’ s domains — the tour came a Southwest gate .
There , Starr pointed to a kiosk provided by DIA loaded with sanitizing wipes .
Much like shoppers at a grocery store , passengers can take one as they board the plane and wipe down surfaces and touchpoints , many of which are already wiped down between flights .
Southwest is also employing a system that allows only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time , cutting down on lines and crowding .
The airline already promises empty middle seats on all its flights through at least Nov. 30 .
Lynelle Lahey , a travel and expense specialist with the SCL Health System was on Tuesday ’ s tour .
She was impressed by how far apart benches were at the Southwest gate , ensuring people aren ’ t bunched together while they wait to board .
She also was encouraged by the 10-passenger-at-a-time boarding protocol .
“ The other airlines say they do that and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lahey who has flown a handful of times in recent months .
The thing that stuck with Lahey the most from the tour wasn ’ t something Southwest is doing , but a new program DIA introduced last month called VeriFLY .
As explained as Tuesday by DIA chief operating officer Chris McLaughlin , VeriFLY is a free smartphone-powered reservation system .
It allows crowd-weary and high-risk passengers to book 15-minute blocks to go through a dedicated security line and board a reserved train car to the concourses , making social distancing easier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The train cars are limited to 12 passengers .
“ That ’ s going to be a crucial thing for people who don ’ t want to travel because of these issues , ” Lahey said .
The airport is still tweaking the program , but Day celebrated VerfiFLY last week .
“ We ’ re really thrilled about it .
It ’ s something that no other airport is offering , ” she said .
“ Hopefully , it will get people traveling who otherwise would not.
” VeriFLY is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eying to make airport visits easier as the holidays approach .
Later this fall , the airport plans to start working with Atyourgate , Day said .
The app that works like a localized DoorDash or UberEats , allowing flyers to order food and other retail items from concession stands in the airport and have it brought to them at their gate , limiting interactions with other people and adding convenience .
DIA ’ s main terminal still is in disarray from its beleaguered and now cash-short renovation project .
Even with far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great hall this year compared to last holiday season , Day said the airport is looking at bringing back purple-shirt wearing “ ambassadors ” to give travelers directions and help them navigate .
“ We ’ re going to test it over Thanksgiving , ” Day said .
” What we don ’ t want to do is create additional density that makes people feel unsafe.
” Tuesday ’ s Southwest tour and DIA ’ s app come against a backdrop of an airline industry in free fall .
Southwest came into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tapped into private loans to avoid layoffs this year .
Denver-based Frontier Airlines stuck deals with its pilots ’ and flight attendants ’ unions and no longer expects to furlough any workers after announcing plans to do so this summer , a spokeswoman said .
But major carriers United Airlines and American Airlines both furloughed thousands of workers last week .
As of early September , more than 900 of United ’ s cuts were expected to come in Denver .
The cuts come as Congress struggles to reach a bipartisan deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers on the job .
Travelers likely won ’ t feel the impact of those layoffs , Michael Boyd , president of Evergreen-based aviation consulting firm Boyd Group International , said .
The jobs being cut were those in excess of demand .
But if the air travel numbers stay as low as they have been this year through the holidays and beyond , Boyd expects the airline industry to go through a major downward restructure .
Boyd hopes would-be passengers will listen to Frontier CEO Barry Biffle , who in August claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the safest things you can do outside your home.
” With airlines now eliminating change fees and with most planes half-full at best , air travel is less of a hassle now that it has been in years , Boyd said .
Add in airport cleaning protocols and programs like DIA ’ s VeriFLY , and Boyd is willing to argue airports are less of an infection risk than grocery stores .
“ I was at a small airport in Columbus , Miss.
, and it was cleaner than an operating room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ If you ’ re going to go somewhere and it involves an airplane , go .
Just go .
”

Tom Starr, Southwest Airlines’ general manager at Denver International Airport, donned a surgical mask and safety vest Tuesday morning. Just after 10 a.m. he called for the attention of the corporate travel managers gathered around him. He was about to lead them on a tour from the check-in counter to a Southwest gate on the airport’s Concourse C with a focus on COVID-19 safety and cleaning efforts.
“My goal is to walk you through what travelers will experience,” Starr said, “and help us all build some confidence in travel.”
National air traffic was down about 68% in late September compared to the same time in 2019, according to DIA officials. During the week of Sept. 20-26, 214,459 people passed through the airport’s security lines, 53% fewer than the same week in 2019, officials say.
But Denver’s airport is seeing more people than most.
“We have been about 10% above the national leverage in terms of recovery that last few months,” DIA CEO Kim Day said. “Many days, we have been the busiest airport in the U.S.”
It’s a situation that puts would-be travelers concerned about possible exposure to the coronavirus in a tough spot. Even with 50-60% fewer people passing through the airport, DIA, which served nearly 70 million passengers in 2019, can be a busy place. Any amount of crowding at check-in counters, security lines or aboard DIA’s train connecting the terminal with the concourses could scare people off.
With the critical holiday travel season approaching, airlines like Southwest and airport officials are going out of their way to highlight safety procedures and new programs designed to combat the spread of coronavirus and give travelers enough peace of mind to return to the skies.
On Tuesday’s tour, Starr highlighted Southwest’s use of electrostatic sprayers to apply disinfectant to the check-in counter and kiosks nightly. He showed off one of the digital thermometers Southwest uses to check every employee’s temperature daily.
Dave Harvey, the airline’s vice president of business travel, highlighted Southwest’s efforts to support corporate clients, including being flexible when it comes to allowing those clients to managing money already invested in unused tickets.
Once through security and off the train — the airport’s domains — the tour came a Southwest gate. There, Starr pointed to a kiosk provided by DIA loaded with sanitizing wipes. Much like shoppers at a grocery store, passengers can take one as they board the plane and wipe down surfaces and touchpoints, many of which are already wiped down between flights. Southwest is also employing a system that allows only 10 passengers to board a plane at a time, cutting down on lines and crowding. The airline already promises empty middle seats on all its flights through at least Nov. 30.
Lynelle Lahey, a travel and expense specialist with the SCL Health System was on Tuesday’s tour. She was impressed by how far apart benches were at the Southwest gate, ensuring people aren’t bunched together while they wait to board. She also was encouraged by the 10-passenger-at-a-time boarding protocol.
“The other airlines say they do that and they don’t,” said Lahey who has flown a handful of times in recent months.
The thing that stuck with Lahey the most from the tour wasn’t something Southwest is doing, but a new program DIA introduced last month called VeriFLY.
As explained as Tuesday by DIA chief operating officer Chris McLaughlin, VeriFLY is a free smartphone-powered reservation system. It allows crowd-weary and high-risk passengers to book 15-minute blocks to go through a dedicated security line and board a reserved train car to the concourses, making social distancing easier at those bottlenecks in the DIA experience. The train cars are limited to 12 passengers.
“That’s going to be a crucial thing for people who don’t want to travel because of these issues,” Lahey said.
The airport is still tweaking the program, but Day celebrated VerfiFLY last week.
“We’re really thrilled about it. It’s something that no other airport is offering,” she said. “Hopefully, it will get people traveling who otherwise would not.”
VeriFLY is not the only piece of technology DIA is eying to make airport visits easier as the holidays approach. Later this fall, the airport plans to start working with Atyourgate, Day said. The app that works like a localized DoorDash or UberEats, allowing flyers to order food and other retail items from concession stands in the airport and have it brought to them at their gate, limiting interactions with other people and adding convenience.
DIA’s main terminal still is in disarray from its beleaguered and now cash-short renovation project. Even with far fewer people likely to pass through the great hall this year compared to last holiday season, Day said the airport is looking at bringing back purple-shirt wearing “ambassadors” to give travelers directions and help them navigate.
“We’re going to test it over Thanksgiving,” Day said. ” What we don’t want to do is create additional density that makes people feel unsafe.”
Tuesday’s Southwest tour and DIA’s app come against a backdrop of an airline industry in free fall.
Southwest came into the coronavirus crisis with stronger reserves than competitors and tapped into private loans to avoid layoffs this year. Denver-based Frontier Airlines stuck deals with its pilots’ and flight attendants’ unions and no longer expects to furlough any workers after announcing plans to do so this summer, a spokeswoman said. But major carriers United Airlines and American Airlines both furloughed thousands of workers last week. As of early September, more than 900 of United’s cuts were expected to come in Denver.
The cuts come as Congress struggles to reach a bipartisan deal on another stimulus package to keep airline workers on the job.
Travelers likely won’t feel the impact of those layoffs, Michael Boyd, president of Evergreen-based aviation consulting firm Boyd Group International, said. The jobs being cut were those in excess of demand. But if the air travel numbers stay as low as they have been this year through the holidays and beyond, Boyd expects the airline industry to go through a major downward restructure.
Boyd hopes would-be passengers will listen to Frontier CEO Barry Biffle, who in August claimed flying on a plane was “one of the safest things you can do outside your home.”
With airlines now eliminating change fees and with most planes half-full at best, air travel is less of a hassle now that it has been in years, Boyd said. Add in airport cleaning protocols and programs like DIA’s VeriFLY, and Boyd is willing to argue airports are less of an infection risk than grocery stores.
“I was at a small airport in Columbus, Miss., and it was cleaner than an operating room and there were fewer sick people,” he said. “If you’re going to go somewhere and it involves an airplane, go. Just go.”


thedenverpost--2020-10-04--A force of intimidation or a necessity for safety? Teen Columnists on police in their schools

Young Coloradans are incredibly passionate about this election , but many can ’ t vote themselves .
So we asked teens what they wanted voters to keep in mind as they cast their ballots this November .
Here ’ s what they have to say about the police ’ s role in local schools .
Read what teens have to say about the presidential race , Colorado ’ s senate race , COVID in schools and climate change .
I vividly remember the day I made my way to the school resource officer ’ s office at Rangeview High School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room before I stopped in shock .
In front of me hung a “ blue lives matter ” flag .
As a Latina , I no longer felt safe ; I shut down .
In schools like mine , Black and Latinx students make up the majority of the student body meaning that the amount of police presence is significantly larger when compared to a predominantly white school .
Not only is there a negative stigma of police in our black and brown communities due to the history of police brutality , oftentimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ altercation in our student body by any means necessary .
I ’ ve seen officers slam students to the ground , reach for their waistband , and treat students as though they were inferior .
In the eyes of these officers , our streets are prone to gang and drug violence .
It was in my hometown that Elijah McClain ’ s life was taken .
To a white student , that “ blue lives matter ” flag in the SROs office may just be an expression of free speech ; that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I expressed my discomfort .
But to me , to black and brown students , that flag is a reminder of the power complex that oppresses our community , that flag screams “ look at me , look at my power … I have the power to kill you.
” I can not fathom that police departments have larger budgets than schools when it ’ s the teachers who are preparing us to enter society .
The police in our schools just serve as a reminder that no matter how educated we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us a “ threat.
” Surely police presence in low income , Black communities is linked to high drop out rates … I ’ ve seen it with my own eyes .
All it takes is one misunderstanding , a bad experience with a police officer or a “ no tolerance policy ” for these students of color to never step foot in a school again .
How can school be a safe space when you put us in the same cage with our biggest predator ?
I hope that “ blue lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken down , that Aurora Public Schools follows the lead of Denver Public Schools and School Board Member Tay Anderson and removes police from schools .
Hopefully , one day the life of students of color will be more important that this power complex perpetuated by police presence in schools .
The debate of how to best keep students in school safe is a decades-old argument .
In many schools , the answer has been police .
An officer in charge of maintaining security in the school , often called the SRO , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state and country , including my own .
However , with the extreme scrutiny that police officers are facing lately , many of these positions may be on the chopping block .
But I believe this should not be the case .
Security in schools is essential .
We have seen it time and time again , schools without security are most at risk for tragedy .
Colorado ’ s own Columbine High School massacre is evidence of this , and it goes to prove another point : those who intend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws .
A Tec-9 automatic pistol was used in the Columbine massacre , despite the fact that such weapons were , at the time , illegal under the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban .
Once a person has made the decision to inflict such harm upon students , a “ Gun-Free Zone ” sign will not stop them .
In fact , according to the Crime Prevention Research Center , since 1950 , 94 % of mass shootings have occurred in gun-free zones .
That being the case , laws alone are demonstrably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is only logical that we have immediate protection from evildoers .
The 2018 FBI Active Shooter Report found that a mass shooting attempt was stopped 75.8 % of the time when an armed citizen was present , and lives were saved 94 % of the time .
Had an officer been immediately present during the Columbine massacre , the lives of 13 innocent people could have been saved .
Regardless of your opinions of police , student safety must come before politics .
And if having police in schools is the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must act on that .
In 2015 , police were called to a school in Texas after his teacher confiscated the clock he had reassembled , believing it resembled a bomb .
The police then handcuffed him and took him into custody .
According to local police , the reason behind the arrest was the belief that he may have intentionally caused a bomb scare .
In 2020 , around two-thirds of students in America attend school with a police officer .
At first glance , this seems to be caused by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an education system that has become increasingly dangerous .
But looking beyond the surface reveals a dark truth , one including cases of excessive force , racial bias , and the aptly named School To Prison system .
In many cases , interrogations of students are done without the presence of a parent or legal guardian .
Even when , as in the case of the “ brownie ” incident that is best described as infamous , the culprit is as young as nine years old .
Time and time again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are largely populated by POC and the poor—who , oftentimes are the same demographic—are more overpoliced than richer and whiter ones .
According to an analysis of Education Department data by the Southern Poverty Law Center , fewer than four percent of students were suspended in 1973 .
With the rise of zero-tolerance policies , this number has risen , but discipline has also in many cases been turned over to the Juvenile Justice System .
Meaning that , more often , small offenses such as getting into a fight or skipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a record .
Which makes it so that even if the punishment is light , future offenses will often have harsher ones .
Thus , with increasingly policed schools , students are much more likely to end up in jail , even for minor offenses .
At the end of the day , the cases of police presence in schools bring up two major questions ; is it right to instill such an intense fear of the police in children ?
And—in a country that resembles a police state more and more—do we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power than they already have ?
As November rapidly approaches , these questions are left up to voters to answer .
Two school shootings have indirectly impacted my life .
The first took place at a high school down the street from my elementary school when I was in 4th grade .
The second was during my freshman year at another high school 15 minutes away from mine .
Following both incidents , I remember my mind tumbling frantically through all the “ what if ” scenarios .
What if I had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grateful for the SROs in my district .
However , I ’ m realizing more and more that SROs are not a comforting sight for all students .
Creating a learning environment where every student feels safe needs to be a top priority for us as a society ; so what should be done about SROs ?
In a 2018 study by the Education Week Research Center , 34 % of SROs surveyed said the schools they work for do not specify which types of disciplinary issues they are allowed to intervene in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SROs were trained in responding to active shooters , only 39 % were trained in child trauma and 37 % on the teen brain .
These statistics reveal two main problems : unclear duties and inadequate training for SROs .
First , schools must ensure an SRO ’ s duties are clearly outlined and restricted .
For example , SROs should not be used to enforce classroom disciplinary actions ( e.g .
tardiness , defiance ) .
If there is no immediate physical threat to the safety of students and staff , SROs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SROs throughout the country must be held to the same standards .
This can be accomplished through a required , nationwide training and certification program that covers a wide range of topics , such as de-escalation , mental health , learning disabilities , the teen brain , and responding to active shooters .
School shootings are not a new issue , but if we do not take proper action against them , nothing will change .
We must continually strive for better mental health resources .
We must improve and regulate the quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must take action to show our leaders our concerns and help schools receive the funding necessary to make such improvements .
It will take time and effort , but we have the power to make schools safer for all students .
Ever since the 90 ’ s , police officers , or SROs , have increased their presence in schools , tasked with preventing school shootings and enhancing general safety .
Now , 30 years after schools started employing the police , we are beginning to see the long term impacts — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the purpose of SROs is to prevent school violence and school shootings , they ’ re accomplishing the opposite .
There is no evidence that SROs prevent shootings or any type of in-school violence .
Conversely , the presence of SROs promotes punishment , arrests , and excessive force instead of acknowledging student ’ s struggles and providing mental health help .
Fifteen to twenty percent of delinquency referrals alone are for fights , harassment , and disorderly conduct even though officers are prohibited from involvement in school-related misconduct .
Worse , these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students with disabilities .
In Florida , for instance , Black youth , “ who represented only 22 percent of the overall juvenile population , accounted for 47 percent of all school-based delinquency referrals ; youth with special needs accounted for 23 percent of all school-based referrals.
” Clearly , not only is a police presence in schools unnecessary , but it ’ s also detrimental to non-white and disabled youth .
Treating children like criminals has consequences ; Unjustified school-based arrests and referrals can double an individual ’ s risk of dropping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court appearance , nearly quadruples the odds of dropout.
” Overall , arrest lowers standardized test scores , reduces employment opportunities , and makes future arrests more likely .
An officer , there to uphold safety and manage conflict , shouldn ’ t launch students into a future of the opposite .
These statistics also aren ’ t a problem that a better-trained police force can solve , so why are we turning to SROs to do precisely that ?
The very concept of placing officers , trained to arrest , manage dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in schools , is flawed .
These officers have little required training in child psychology ( 40 hours or less ) and conflict de-escalation , but a career ’ s worth of the things listed above — exactly why it ’ s disturbing but unsurprising that in the past five years , police handcuffed and arrested ten six to ten-year-olds on campus for fighting , an officer choked a 13-year-old until he was unconscious ( the boy pushed the officer ) , officers handcuffed a six-year-old special needs student ( he ran from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 16-year-old girl ( caught using her phone in class ) .
The list goes on .
The solution , however , is clear : the police have no place in schools .
Subscribe to our newsletter , Sound Off , to get opinion news sent straight to your inbox .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Jim Carr, Special to The Denver Post
Young Coloradans are incredibly passionate about this election, but many can’t vote themselves. So we asked teens what they wanted voters to keep in mind as they cast their ballots this November.
DENVER POST TEEN COLUMNISTS Want to be a part of our Teen Columnists project in the future? Sign up here and we’ll notify you when we reopen for submissions.
Here’s what they have to say about the police’s role in local schools.
Read what teens have to say about the presidential race, Colorado’s senate race, COVID in schools and climate change.
I vividly remember the day I made my way to the school resource officer’s office at Rangeview High School. I took two steps into the room before I stopped in shock. In front of me hung a “blue lives matter” flag. As a Latina, I no longer felt safe; I shut down. In schools like mine, Black and Latinx students make up the majority of the student body meaning that the amount of police presence is significantly larger when compared to a predominantly white school. Not only is there a negative stigma of police in our black and brown communities due to the history of police brutality, oftentimes these officers are trained to deescalate any altercation in our student body by any means necessary. I’ve seen officers slam students to the ground, reach for their waistband, and treat students as though they were inferior. In the eyes of these officers, our streets are prone to gang and drug violence. It was in my hometown that Elijah McClain’s life was taken.
To a white student, that “blue lives matter” flag in the SROs office may just be an expression of free speech; that is definitely the justification our administration used when I expressed my discomfort. But to me, to black and brown students, that flag is a reminder of the power complex that oppresses our community, that flag screams “look at me, look at my power … I have the power to kill you.”
I cannot fathom that police departments have larger budgets than schools when it’s the teachers who are preparing us to enter society. The police in our schools just serve as a reminder that no matter how educated we are, the color of our skin makes us a “threat.” Surely police presence in low income, Black communities is linked to high drop out rates … I’ve seen it with my own eyes. All it takes is one misunderstanding, a bad experience with a police officer or a “no tolerance policy” for these students of color to never step foot in a school again. How can school be a safe space when you put us in the same cage with our biggest predator? I hope that “blue lives matter” flag in my school gets taken down, that Aurora Public Schools follows the lead of Denver Public Schools and School Board Member Tay Anderson and removes police from schools. Hopefully, one day the life of students of color will be more important that this power complex perpetuated by police presence in schools.
— Myriam Alcala, 18, University of Southern California, graduated from Rangeview High School
The debate of how to best keep students in school safe is a decades-old argument. In many schools, the answer has been police. An officer in charge of maintaining security in the school, often called the SRO, can be found in many schools across the state and country, including my own. However, with the extreme scrutiny that police officers are facing lately, many of these positions may be on the chopping block. But I believe this should not be the case.
Security in schools is essential. We have seen it time and time again, schools without security are most at risk for tragedy. Colorado’s own Columbine High School massacre is evidence of this, and it goes to prove another point: those who intend to do evil will not be stopped by laws. A Tec-9 automatic pistol was used in the Columbine massacre, despite the fact that such weapons were, at the time, illegal under the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
Once a person has made the decision to inflict such harm upon students, a “Gun-Free Zone” sign will not stop them. In fact, according to the Crime Prevention Research Center, since 1950, 94% of mass shootings have occurred in gun-free zones. That being the case, laws alone are demonstrably not a deterrent. So then, it is only logical that we have immediate protection from evildoers.
The 2018 FBI Active Shooter Report found that a mass shooting attempt was stopped 75.8% of the time when an armed citizen was present, and lives were saved 94% of the time. Had an officer been immediately present during the Columbine massacre, the lives of 13 innocent people could have been saved. Regardless of your opinions of police, student safety must come before politics. And if having police in schools is the most effective option for student safety, we must act on that.
— Dylan Sharrock, 16, Coal Ridge High School
In 2015, police were called to a school in Texas after his teacher confiscated the clock he had reassembled, believing it resembled a bomb. The police then handcuffed him and took him into custody. According to local police, the reason behind the arrest was the belief that he may have intentionally caused a bomb scare.
In 2020, around two-thirds of students in America attend school with a police officer. At first glance, this seems to be caused by a goal that many people share—keeping schools safe in an education system that has become increasingly dangerous. But looking beyond the surface reveals a dark truth, one including cases of excessive force, racial bias, and the aptly named School To Prison system.
In many cases, interrogations of students are done without the presence of a parent or legal guardian. Even when, as in the case of the “brownie” incident that is best described as infamous, the culprit is as young as nine years old.
Time and time again, evidence has proven that schools and communities that are largely populated by POC and the poor—who, oftentimes are the same demographic—are more overpoliced than richer and whiter ones.
According to an analysis of Education Department data by the Southern Poverty Law Center, fewer than four percent of students were suspended in 1973. With the rise of zero-tolerance policies, this number has risen, but discipline has also in many cases been turned over to the Juvenile Justice System. Meaning that, more often, small offenses such as getting into a fight or skipping class will lead to a student having a record. Which makes it so that even if the punishment is light, future offenses will often have harsher ones. Thus, with increasingly policed schools, students are much more likely to end up in jail, even for minor offenses.
At the end of the day, the cases of police presence in schools bring up two major questions; is it right to instill such an intense fear of the police in children? And—in a country that resembles a police state more and more—do we really want to give the police more power than they already have? As November rapidly approaches, these questions are left up to voters to answer.
— Brendalynn Toni Scott, 15, Homeschool
Two school shootings have indirectly impacted my life. The first took place at a high school down the street from my elementary school when I was in 4th grade. The second was during my freshman year at another high school 15 minutes away from mine. Following both incidents, I remember my mind tumbling frantically through all the “what if” scenarios. What if I had been there?
These experiences make me extremely grateful for the SROs in my district. However, I’m realizing more and more that SROs are not a comforting sight for all students. Creating a learning environment where every student feels safe needs to be a top priority for us as a society; so what should be done about SROs?
In a 2018 study by the Education Week Research Center, 34% of SROs surveyed said the schools they work for do not specify which types of disciplinary issues they are allowed to intervene in. Additionally, while 93% of SROs were trained in responding to active shooters, only 39% were trained in child trauma and 37% on the teen brain. These statistics reveal two main problems: unclear duties and inadequate training for SROs. First, schools must ensure an SRO’s duties are clearly outlined and restricted. For example, SROs should not be used to enforce classroom disciplinary actions (e.g. tardiness, defiance). If there is no immediate physical threat to the safety of students and staff, SROs should not be involved. Additionally, SROs throughout the country must be held to the same standards. This can be accomplished through a required, nationwide training and certification program that covers a wide range of topics, such as de-escalation, mental health, learning disabilities, the teen brain, and responding to active shooters.
School shootings are not a new issue, but if we do not take proper action against them, nothing will change. We must continually strive for better mental health resources. We must improve and regulate the quality of SRO training and guidelines. We must take action to show our leaders our concerns and help schools receive the funding necessary to make such improvements. It will take time and effort, but we have the power to make schools safer for all students.
— Hailey Sloan, 16, Heritage High School
Ever since the 90’s, police officers, or SROs, have increased their presence in schools, tasked with preventing school shootings and enhancing general safety. Now, 30 years after schools started employing the police, we are beginning to see the long term impacts — and they aren’t positive.
If the purpose of SROs is to prevent school violence and school shootings, they’re accomplishing the opposite. There is no evidence that SROs prevent shootings or any type of in-school violence. Conversely, the presence of SROs promotes punishment, arrests, and excessive force instead of acknowledging student’s struggles and providing mental health help. Fifteen to twenty percent of delinquency referrals alone are for fights, harassment, and disorderly conduct even though officers are prohibited from involvement in school-related misconduct. Worse, these referrals disproportionately target people of color and students with disabilities. In Florida, for instance, Black youth, “who represented only 22 percent of the overall juvenile population, accounted for 47 percent of all school-based delinquency referrals; youth with special needs accounted for 23 percent of all school-based referrals.” Clearly, not only is a police presence in schools unnecessary, but it’s also detrimental to non-white and disabled youth.
Treating children like criminals has consequences; Unjustified school-based arrests and referrals can double an individual’s risk of dropping out, and, “with a court appearance, nearly quadruples the odds of dropout.” Overall, arrest lowers standardized test scores, reduces employment opportunities, and makes future arrests more likely. An officer, there to uphold safety and manage conflict, shouldn’t launch students into a future of the opposite. These statistics also aren’t a problem that a better-trained police force can solve, so why are we turning to SROs to do precisely that? The very concept of placing officers, trained to arrest, manage dangerous situations, and work with adults, in schools, is flawed.
These officers have little required training in child psychology (40 hours or less) and conflict de-escalation, but a career’s worth of the things listed above — exactly why it’s disturbing but unsurprising that in the past five years, police handcuffed and arrested ten six to ten-year-olds on campus for fighting, an officer choked a 13-year-old until he was unconscious (the boy pushed the officer), officers handcuffed a six-year-old special needs student (he ran from class). Three officers pinned down a 16-year-old girl (caught using her phone in class). The list goes on. The solution, however, is clear: the police have no place in schools.
— Sophia Joyce Charles, 15, Denver East High School
Subscribe to our newsletter, Sound Off, to get opinion news sent straight to your inbox.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-10-04--Hickenlooper or Gardner? Teen Columnists share their thoughts on Colorado’s Senate race

Young Coloradans are incredibly passionate about this election , but many can ’ t vote themselves .
So we asked teens what they wanted voters to keep in mind as they cast their ballots this November .
Here ’ s what they have to say about the Senate race between former Gov .
John Hickenlooper and Sen. Cory Gardner .
Read what teens have to say about the presidential race , COVID in schools , climate change and policing in schools .
The outcome of Colorado ’ s 2020 senatorial election will hold many implications for state and federal politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Senate majority are just a few of the issues at stake in Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican Cory Gardner ’ s battle for a seat in the U.S. Congress .
However , the results of this upcoming election will reveal more than whether or not gun laws will change or health care will improve .
The senatorial election will determine the Colorado election system ’ s vulnerability to manipulation by the omnipotent , evergreen dollar .
When Hickenlooper abandoned his bid for the presidency in August 2019 and began to pursue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign quickly gained widespread support .
Colorado , once a purple state , has proven itself to be bluer and bluer with every national election .
Considering Gardner ’ s support of President Donald Trump , it came as no surprise that voters preferred the true-blue platform presented by Hickenlooper .
Despite the strong start , however , Hickenlooper ’ s lead has been shrinking since April .
The former governor has been falling out of favor with voters , and it ’ s not because he ’ s any less competent than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s because the National Republican Senatorial Committee has decided that they like having Gardner in Colorado ’ s senate seat — and they ’ ll use as many grainy filters , deep voices , and unflattering photographs as they need to to keep it that way .
Yes , the NRSC is using the magic of video editing to paint the image of “ slick shady ” Hickenlooper , a man more interested in private jet rides than problem-solving .
The attack ads have dominated commercial breaks , powered by the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gardner ’ s .
While the idea of the former governor using his power for personal gain is certainly unsavory , the advertisements ’ content was not what left a bad taste in my mouth .
The NRSC is not based in Colorado .
They do not have Coloradans ’ best interests at heart , so why should they have any say in our election ?
Our country was built on the principle that every citizen has a say in choosing their representatives , not just the rich .
This election , Coloradans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice that shouts the loudest and trusting the candidate that has proven himself to possess true Colorado values .
Now more than ever , it is time to eradicate money from the political equation .
Colorado ’ s Senate race is about more than just politics , government , or even Colorado .
Colorado ’ s Senate seat is one of the most important seats for the Democratic Party ’ s campaign to flip the Senate , and vital to the Republicans if they wish for the Senate to stay red .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with both candidates making clear what side they ’ re on .
Hickenlooper ( and Biden ) vs. Gardner ( and Trump ) is about the soul , pride , and heart of the United States of America .
This race is about whether fallen American soldiers are respected heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice or losers ; whether Black Lives Matter or racism and police violence will be swept under the rug by elected leaders trying to preserve their power ; whether the Constitution and the rights of every American will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determine if Coloradans will have to face rampaging flames and suffer through ash raining down year after year .
Will scientists be ignored and backstabbed , or will our leaders listen and respect them ?
The fragile future of America is placed in the voter ’ s hands .
Will educators continue to be failed and students left empty-handed ?
Will rich private schools continue to be prioritized over public schools that welcome and help everyone ?
This local election plays a major place in the future of America .
If the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would Donald Trump still be president ?
Will women be treated fairly and with dignity , or will people in power maintain support for sexism and boast about it ?
Will American leadership promote democracy abroad , or will our leaders envy the power and control of dictators ?
When called upon , will America back and support her allies or leave them to fail ?
So often , those in power work for themselves instead of those they represent , profiting off the hard-working people of Colorado and doing nothing .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Life , Liberty , and the Pursuit of Happiness ?
Colorado voters will write the history books with little bubbles on ballots filled with a black pen , shaping the Senate ( and American politics ) for six years .
They will shape the world that we ( the youth of Colorado ) grow up in , and answer these questions .
One question does not need to be asked ; we the youth will vote , not on a ballot , but in our thoughts , actions and words .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado senate race will bring change that lasts decades .
This is a fight for our lives .
Issues like gun control and climate change affect people of all ages , however , they target young people , and we are running out of time to shape our tomorrows .
We have the opportunity to elect a leader who will make positive change and protect our futures .
Vote John Hickenlooper .
Colorado has faced the devastating consequences of gun violence and mass shooting far too many times .
As a student , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school just miles away from the schools where shootings took lives at Columbine , Arapahoe , and STEM .
This has been normalized for teenagers , though it is something no human should have to experience .
Our classes have been canceled because of potential threats .
We are losing hours of our education because of this problem that seems to have an obvious answer .
We need gun reform now .
We can not reelect a senator who will not protect our lives but will protect the Second Amendment .
The Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our world today the way it did when it was written .
The weapons that existed when it was written couldn ’ t take the lives of dozens of people in a matter of seconds .
These types of weapons are not necessary for the average person , not even for purposes of self-defense .
Although the Constitution was written with the future in mind , the value of a human life has not changed , and as weapons have become semi-automatic , there is a need for reform .
Cory Gardner has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NRA .
Vote him out .
For action on these issues and many more , we must elect John Hickenlooper as our state senator .
Our lives are at stake .
Subscribe to our newsletter , Sound Off , to get opinion news sent straight to your inbox .
To send a letter to the editor about this article , submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail .

Jim Carr, Special to The Denver Post
Young Coloradans are incredibly passionate about this election, but many can’t vote themselves. So we asked teens what they wanted voters to keep in mind as they cast their ballots this November.
DENVER POST TEEN COLUMNISTS Want to be a part of our Teen Columnists project in the future? Sign up here and we’ll notify you when we reopen for submissions.
Here’s what they have to say about the Senate race between former Gov. John Hickenlooper and Sen. Cory Gardner.
Read what teens have to say about the presidential race, COVID in schools, climate change and policing in schools.
The outcome of Colorado’s 2020 senatorial election will hold many implications for state and federal politics. Health care, gun control, and the Senate majority are just a few of the issues at stake in Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican Cory Gardner’s battle for a seat in the U.S. Congress. However, the results of this upcoming election will reveal more than whether or not gun laws will change or health care will improve. The senatorial election will determine the Colorado election system’s vulnerability to manipulation by the omnipotent, evergreen dollar.
When Hickenlooper abandoned his bid for the presidency in August 2019 and began to pursue a seat in the Senate, his campaign quickly gained widespread support. Colorado, once a purple state, has proven itself to be bluer and bluer with every national election. Considering Gardner’s support of President Donald Trump, it came as no surprise that voters preferred the true-blue platform presented by Hickenlooper. Despite the strong start, however, Hickenlooper’s lead has been shrinking since April. The former governor has been falling out of favor with voters, and it’s not because he’s any less competent than he was five months ago; it’s because the National Republican Senatorial Committee has decided that they like having Gardner in Colorado’s senate seat — and they’ll use as many grainy filters, deep voices, and unflattering photographs as they need to to keep it that way.
Yes, the NRSC is using the magic of video editing to paint the image of “slick shady” Hickenlooper, a man more interested in private jet rides than problem-solving. The attack ads have dominated commercial breaks, powered by the Republican super PAC’s funds — not Gardner’s. While the idea of the former governor using his power for personal gain is certainly unsavory, the advertisements’ content was not what left a bad taste in my mouth.
The NRSC is not based in Colorado. They do not have Coloradans’ best interests at heart, so why should they have any say in our election? Our country was built on the principle that every citizen has a say in choosing their representatives, not just the rich. This election, Coloradans will make a choice between following the voice that shouts the loudest and trusting the candidate that has proven himself to possess true Colorado values. Now more than ever, it is time to eradicate money from the political equation.
— Ava Stetson Ward, 17, Thomas Jefferson High School
Colorado’s Senate race is about more than just politics, government, or even Colorado. Colorado’s Senate seat is one of the most important seats for the Democratic Party’s campaign to flip the Senate, and vital to the Republicans if they wish for the Senate to stay red.
This race closely mirrors the presidential race, with both candidates making clear what side they’re on. Hickenlooper (and Biden) vs. Gardner (and Trump) is about the soul, pride, and heart of the United States of America.
This race is about whether fallen American soldiers are respected heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice or losers; whether Black Lives Matter or racism and police violence will be swept under the rug by elected leaders trying to preserve their power; whether the Constitution and the rights of every American will be protected or ignored.
This race will determine if Coloradans will have to face rampaging flames and suffer through ash raining down year after year. Will scientists be ignored and backstabbed, or will our leaders listen and respect them?
The fragile future of America is placed in the voter’s hands. Will educators continue to be failed and students left empty-handed? Will rich private schools continue to be prioritized over public schools that welcome and help everyone? This local election plays a major place in the future of America. If the Democrats had controlled the Senate in January, would Donald Trump still be president? Will women be treated fairly and with dignity, or will people in power maintain support for sexism and boast about it? Will American leadership promote democracy abroad, or will our leaders envy the power and control of dictators? When called upon, will America back and support her allies or leave them to fail?
So often, those in power work for themselves instead of those they represent, profiting off the hard-working people of Colorado and doing nothing. Do we still believe in the unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness? Colorado voters will write the history books with little bubbles on ballots filled with a black pen, shaping the Senate (and American politics) for six years. They will shape the world that we (the youth of Colorado) grow up in, and answer these questions.
One question does not need to be asked; we the youth will vote, not on a ballot, but in our thoughts, actions and words.
— Daniel Mitchell, 13, Webber Middle School
Our futures are at stake. The 2020 Colorado senate race will bring change that lasts decades.
This is a fight for our lives. Issues like gun control and climate change affect people of all ages, however, they target young people, and we are running out of time to shape our tomorrows. We have the opportunity to elect a leader who will make positive change and protect our futures. Vote John Hickenlooper.
Colorado has faced the devastating consequences of gun violence and mass shooting far too many times. As a student, it is terrifying to go to a school just miles away from the schools where shootings took lives at Columbine, Arapahoe, and STEM. This has been normalized for teenagers, though it is something no human should have to experience.
Our classes have been canceled because of potential threats. We are losing hours of our education because of this problem that seems to have an obvious answer. We need gun reform now.
We cannot reelect a senator who will not protect our lives but will protect the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment simply doesn’t apply to our world today the way it did when it was written. The weapons that existed when it was written couldn’t take the lives of dozens of people in a matter of seconds. These types of weapons are not necessary for the average person, not even for purposes of self-defense. Although the Constitution was written with the future in mind, the value of a human life has not changed, and as weapons have become semi-automatic, there is a need for reform. Cory Gardner has taken over three million dollars from the NRA. Vote him out.
For action on these issues and many more, we must elect John Hickenlooper as our state senator. Our lives are at stake.
— Morgan Dorais, 17, Regis Jesuit High School Girls Division
Subscribe to our newsletter, Sound Off, to get opinion news sent straight to your inbox.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.


thedenverpost--2020-10-04--Top Workplaces 2021: Nomination process to begin

If it seems like the annual Top Workplaces competition sponsored by The Denver Post just finished up this year — @ @ @ @ @ The pandemic delayed what is normally a spring event and extended it to the fall @ @ @ @ @ the winners for 2020 published just last month .
That said , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ process for the 2021 competition .
The first first nomination deadline is Nov. 13 .
@ @ @ @ @ more employees in Colorado is eligible to participate .
The organizations can be public , @ @ @ @ @ .
Companies will be surveyed through January .
Energage , The Post ’ s research @ @ @ @ @ conducts Top Workplaces surveys for media in 53 markets and surveyed more than 2 million @ @ @ @ @ organizations in 2019 .
For 2020 awards , 2,291 organizations were invited to participate , @ @ @ @ @ 150 were recognized .
The number of employees represented by the surveyed organizations was 97,288 @ @ @ @ @ responses .
To nominate your employer , go to denverpost.com/nominate or call 303-261-8253 .

If it seems like the annual Top Workplaces competition sponsored by The Denver Post just finished up this year — you’re right. The pandemic delayed what is normally a spring event and extended it to the fall. The special section announcing the winners for 2020 published just last month.
That said, it’s time already to start the process for the 2021 competition.
The first first nomination deadline is Nov. 13. Any organization with 50 or more employees in Colorado is eligible to participate. The organizations can be public, private, nonprofit or government.
Companies will be surveyed through January. Energage, The Post’s research partner for the project, conducts Top Workplaces surveys for media in 53 markets and surveyed more than 2 million employees at more than 7,000 organizations in 2019.
For 2020 awards, 2,291 organizations were invited to participate, 240 were surveyed, and 150 were recognized. The number of employees represented by the surveyed organizations was 97,288, with 55,212 employee survey responses.
To nominate your employer, go to denverpost.com/nominate or call 303-261-8253.