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Parents and board press district on staff arrests, special‑education outcomes and Safe‑to‑Tell process
Summary
Several public commenters and board members raised recent staff arrests and long‑running gaps in graduation rates for students supported by IEPs; speakers urged transparency, a third‑party disabilities audit and improvements to reporting and investigatory processes.
Multiple public commenters at the Aug. 26 Poudre School District Board of Education meeting urged the district to address alleged staff misconduct and to improve policies around reporting, investigations and protections for students with disabilities.
Speakers described a recent arrest of a former employee on serious allegations and referenced other recent staff arrests. Commenters asked the district to explain what steps it is taking to protect students, whether Safe‑to‑Tell investigations are effective, and whether staff who report concerns face retaliation, licensing threats or legal action.
Parent advocates asked the board to provide transparency about policy reviews and to consider independent review of special‑education practices. Anna Labeda and Danny Lawrence specifically asked for clarity and for a third‑party disabilities audit after the board referenced data showing graduation‑rate gaps for students served with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Lawrence said the district’s OCR agreement requires non‑retaliation and accused the board of retaliatory behavior at an earlier meeting; another speaker asked the board to demonstrate what policies are being reviewed.
Board response and discussion: Board members acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns. Director Scott Schoenbauer said the board and superintendent were taking the situations “very seriously,” and called for reviewing hiring vetting, boundary definitions, and reporting channels such as Safe‑to‑Tell. Superintendent Kingsley said the district “will always act quickly to protect our students, communicate openly when serious incidents occur, and provide support for those who need it.” Several directors encouraged staff to look at policies and culture and to reinforce reporting avenues.
Why it matters: Commenters pointed to multiple related issues — recent staff arrests, gaps in graduation outcomes for students with IEPs, and questions about whether staff feel safe reporting suspected wrongdoing — and framed them as linked problems that affect student safety and equity.
Next steps requested: Speakers and some board members asked the district to explain what policy reviews are underway, to assess Safe‑to‑Tell efficacy, and to consider a third‑party audit focused on special‑education systems and outcomes. The district acknowledged the request and said staff would continue policy reviews and communications; no formal board directive or vote on an audit was recorded at the meeting.
Ending: Several board members reiterated support for prompt review of policies and strengthening reporting pathways; the district said it would follow up with updates and continue work to protect students and support staff.
