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Jeffco school board grapples with fallout from chief of schools investigation amid grief and shock

The Jefferson County School Board members, John DeStefano, Frank DeAngelis and Tracy Dorland met to discuss the aftermath of the investigation into the district's former Chief of Schools, David Weiss. After allegations were made public, the board heard many complaints from the public and Weiss died by suicide.
Suzie Glassman
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JeffCo Transcript
The Jefferson County School Board members, John DeStefano, Frank DeAngelis and Tracy Dorland met to discuss the aftermath of the investigation into the district's former Chief of Schools, David Weiss. After allegations were made public, the board heard many complaints from the public and Weiss died by suicide.

The Jefferson County School Board convened a special meeting on Jan. 7 to address the aftermath of the investigation into and apparent suicide of former Chief of Schools David Weiss, who was accused of possessing child pornography by the Jefferson County Sheriff"s Office.

Board member Paula Reed opened the meeting by explaining that the need to meet face-to-face had become undeniable in the wake of the crisis.

"It was becoming clear that we needed some time to meet face-to-face," Reed said. "We wanted to have time to make a timely and unified response. It"s been impossible to do that given the constraints we"ve had."

Reed emphasized the importance of transparency, saying the meeting was held publicly to demonstrate the board"s commitment to addressing the situation and fostering trust within the community.

Board President Mary Parker echoed these sentiments, sharing how the crisis had weighed on her both personally and professionally.

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"First of all, I am so happy that we are together and we are public-facing," Parker said. "The biggest frustration I"ve had in the last few weeks is that, as board president, I felt a great responsibility to be a voice for the board... I wanted very much for our community members to know that the board is paying attention. We care about it. We take it seriously."

Parker explained how constraints on communication left her unable to provide even a basic response to the public.

"The most basic, simple sentence -- "the board takes this seriously, we are shocked, we will communicate with law enforcement, and we will get to the bottom of it" -- was not possible to get out as a board because I couldn"t do it on my own," Parker said.

For many board members, the crisis has been a deeply personal and emotional experience, compounded by accusations from some in the community who have accused the board of not prioritizing children"s safety.

"I have felt very defensive," Reed said. "When I hear the implication that somehow we don"t care about kids, my first impulse is to say, you know, every month, six women sit on that dais. Four of them have children in our schools. One of them has grandchildren in our schools...The notion that we would not care about the safety of children is appalling."

Reed reflected on how such accusations stem from fear and uncertainty, sentiments she understands given the gravity of the situation.

"When people are afraid, they desperately want answers and understanding. They want a narrative they can wrap their head around as quickly as possible," she said. "What I"m going to promise is that we"re going to look hard at what happened, and we are going to figure out everything we could have done if there are things we could have done."

Others expressed deep shock and horror that someone they knew could have potentially been a child predator.

"This is really hard," board member Michelle Applegate said. "As a parent, at all levels, the feelings -- they are really strong. It"s all the things: the shock, the horror, the fear. Knowing that our entire community is reeling...it"s been very emotional, it"s been very scary, it"s been very sad."

Board member Erin Kenworthy said she called Weiss a friend and spoke about her complex emotions.

"I considered our former Chief of Schools a friend and a colleague, and so I"m grieving the loss of a version of a person I thought I knew," Kenworthy said. "There are good days and there are bad days...My heart is broken for that family and for anybody who"s been impacted or victimized by any adult in our community who crosses boundaries with kids."

Reed, reflecting on her time as a teacher at Columbine High School when the shooting occurred, shared how the current crisis echoes past experiences of community trauma.

"What I learned that day is that you never know anyone and that you move through the world with people you think you know well and trust, and any one of them is capable of doing horrible things," Reed said.

Reed said she invited John Stefano, Jeffco school board president at the time of the Columbine shooting, and Frank DeAngelis, former principal of Columbine High School, to share their experience handling a major crisis that had a significant impact on the educational environment.

"Great tragedy affects many people and is something you can"t control or fix," Stefano said. "Your job is to lead by example... people don"t care how much you know until they know how much you care."

DeAngelis emphasized the importance of keeping students first.

"Our No. 1 priority is our students, and we already have the foundation in place. What we have to do is continue to build upon that foundation," DeAngelis said. "When families go through difficult things, they find ways to come together, and that"s what we"re going to do. We"re going to help each other, whatever that will take."

Stefano and DeAngelis also provided specific guidance on crisis management. Stefano advised the board to prioritize transparency while avoiding unnecessary chaos.

"The media will run its natural cycle, and you have to let it," Stefano said. "Focus on your community"s concerns because their needs are different and more immediate than the media"s narrative."

"Tragedies reveal what we can improve and where we can strengthen our systems," Stefano added. "Use this moment to ensure better protections for students and stronger relationships with the community."

The meeting also focused on tangible steps the board can take to improve communication and crisis response. Board members discussed revising policies, establishing clearer communication protocols and partnering with experts to ensure the district is prepared for future challenges.

"We cannot change the past, but we can do better in the future, and we will," Parker said.

Kenworthy underscored the importance of confronting the situation head-on.

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced," she said, quoting James Baldwin. "We can"t fix this, but we can face it together."

As the investigation continues, board members acknowledged the importance of balancing transparency with maintaining the integrity of law enforcement efforts.

"The only way forward is as a united team," Applegate said.

The board plans to revisit its policies in the coming weeks, focusing on student safety and crisis preparedness.

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