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Public comment time contradicts earlier testimony of principal to review commission
By Jeff KassDenver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
Bullying at Columbine High was rampant, witnesses testified Monday, and victims' parents were shocked that the principal has said there were no danger signs leading to the shooting. "All I could say for my friend Frank (DeAngelis) was, he must have been worried about his job," said Dawn Anna, the mother of slain student Lauren Townsend and a girls volleyball coach at Columbine. "There are too many people worried about their jobs, and not enough worried about taking care of innocent children." Anna and about a dozen others made their comments Monday before the Governor's Columbine Review Commission. The families of other Columbine victims and members of the public also spoke. It was the first time the board has taken public comments. Speakers said that those entrusted to protect the public — school administrators and police officers — failed in their duties on April 20, 1999, and in the days leading up to the shooting. Jefferson County Schools spokeswoman Marilyn Saltzman said the district was not lax in dealing with problems. "When we are aware of any incident of bullying..." Saltzman said, "we deal with it." Excessive bullying has been offered as motivation for Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to kill 12 fellow students and a teacher before killing themselves. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said it could not comment on the events of that day because of pending litigation. But speakers faulted law enforcement officers for not moving more aggressively to capture Harris and Klebold. "We would have been better off if the police would have taken off their SWAT uniforms and allowed the horrified mothers in the crowd to volunteer to go in and rescue the children," said Dale Todd, whose son, Evan, was wounded at Columbine. He later added: "They would have gone through brick walls to stop it." Monday's public comments were in stark contrast to DeAngelis' testimony in August. On the topic of bullying, he said: "If it was occurring, it was not being reported." Anna said she was dismayed at DeAngelis' testimony. "I cannot for the life of me understand how an educator like Frank, a parent like Frank, can say there were no red flags," Anna told the commission. The first speaker of the day, former Columbine special education assistant Patti Stevens, said her students were terrified of bullying. She named one former student, Rocky Hoffschneider, whom other students have previously fingered, as a principal participant in the bullying. Hoffschneider could not be reached for comment, but he has previously said he did not escape punishment for his misdeeds. Shari Schnurr, the mother of injured student Val Schnurr, said she had discussed bullying at the school with her daughter, who was a peer counselor. "There was just across-the-board intolerance," Shari Schnurr said. Stevens and the aunt of slain Columbine student Isaiah Shoels both testified that DeAngelis discounted their concerns about bullying. Speakers who recounted the bullying also said that students and others are unwilling to come forward with their stories for fear of retaliation. The commission at one point went behind closed doors to discuss holding a closed meeting to take testimony from such people. But chairman William Erickson said the commission decided to keep the meetings public and said the panel would search for other ways to take testimony from reluctant witnesses. Others testifying before the commission were Randy and Judy Brown, whose son, Brooks, attended Columbine. They told commissioners that police did not follow up on their report that Harris had a violent Web site. They said the sheriff's office was also aware that Harris and Klebold had been arrested for breaking into a van. Jefferson County Sheriff John Stone was faulted for refusing to testify, and the commission was criticized for not compelling him to appear. Schnurr also testified that three police officers declined to help her daughter after she escaped the school because they did not believe she was seriously injured. Schnurr did not know which agencies the police officers were from. But Schnurr and others did put faith in the commission to find solutions. "We owe it to the students who died. We owe it to the students who relive it every day. We owe it to Luke, who's going to be in school," she said, cradling her 6-month-old son as she spoke. October 3, 2000
Bullying at Columbine High was rampant, witnesses testified Monday, and victims' parents were shocked that the principal has said there were no danger signs leading to the shooting.
"All I could say for my friend Frank (DeAngelis) was, he must have been worried about his job," said Dawn Anna, the mother of slain student Lauren Townsend and a girls volleyball coach at Columbine. "There are too many people worried about their jobs, and not enough worried about taking care of innocent children."
Anna and about a dozen others made their comments Monday before the Governor's Columbine Review Commission. The families of other Columbine victims and members of the public also spoke.
It was the first time the board has taken public comments.
Speakers said that those entrusted to protect the public — school administrators and police officers — failed in their duties on April 20, 1999, and in the days leading up to the shooting.
Jefferson County Schools spokeswoman Marilyn Saltzman said the district was not lax in dealing with problems.
"When we are aware of any incident of bullying..." Saltzman said, "we deal with it."
Excessive bullying has been offered as motivation for Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to kill 12 fellow students and a teacher before killing themselves.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said it could not comment on the events of that day because of pending litigation. But speakers faulted law enforcement officers for not moving more aggressively to capture Harris and Klebold.
"We would have been better off if the police would have taken off their SWAT uniforms and allowed the horrified mothers in the crowd to volunteer to go in and rescue the children," said Dale Todd, whose son, Evan, was wounded at Columbine. He later added: "They would have gone through brick walls to stop it."
Monday's public comments were in stark contrast to DeAngelis' testimony in August. On the topic of bullying, he said: "If it was occurring, it was not being reported."
Anna said she was dismayed at DeAngelis' testimony.
"I cannot for the life of me understand how an educator like Frank, a parent like Frank, can say there were no red flags," Anna told the commission.
The first speaker of the day, former Columbine special education assistant Patti Stevens, said her students were terrified of bullying. She named one former student, Rocky Hoffschneider, whom other students have previously fingered, as a principal participant in the bullying.
Hoffschneider could not be reached for comment, but he has previously said he did not escape punishment for his misdeeds.
Shari Schnurr, the mother of injured student Val Schnurr, said she had discussed bullying at the school with her daughter, who was a peer counselor.
"There was just across-the-board intolerance," Shari Schnurr said.
Stevens and the aunt of slain Columbine student Isaiah Shoels both testified that DeAngelis discounted their concerns about bullying.
Speakers who recounted the bullying also said that students and others are unwilling to come forward with their stories for fear of retaliation.
The commission at one point went behind closed doors to discuss holding a closed meeting to take testimony from such people. But chairman William Erickson said the commission decided to keep the meetings public and said the panel would search for other ways to take testimony from reluctant witnesses.
Others testifying before the commission were Randy and Judy Brown, whose son, Brooks, attended Columbine. They told commissioners that police did not follow up on their report that Harris had a violent Web site. They said the sheriff's office was also aware that Harris and Klebold had been arrested for breaking into a van.
Jefferson County Sheriff John Stone was faulted for refusing to testify, and the commission was criticized for not compelling him to appear.
Schnurr also testified that three police officers declined to help her daughter after she escaped the school because they did not believe she was seriously injured.
Schnurr did not know which agencies the police officers were from.
But Schnurr and others did put faith in the commission to find solutions.
"We owe it to the students who died. We owe it to the students who relive it every day. We owe it to Luke, who's going to be in school," she said, cradling her 6-month-old son as she spoke.
October 3, 2000
