Columbine principal Frank DeAngelis to retire

August 21, 2013

1–2 minutes

Last week the principal of Columbine High School, Frank DeAngelis, announced that this would be his last school year as principal. Mr. DeAngelis was the principal at the school at the time of the infamous school shooting that claimed the lives of 12 students and a teacher. Mr. DeAngelis made a promise to the kindergarteners in 1999 that he would stay at the school until they graduated. That was 2 years ago.

I admire Mr. DeAngelis not only for the fortitude he had during the shootings but also for his resolve in the years since.

He’s also been the frequent target of mutants. Alvaro Castillo, who murdered his father before trying to shoot up a North Carolina high school, e-mailed Mr. DeAngelis prior to his crimes. Joshua Kyler Hoggan of Roy, Utah, who was convicted of plotting an attack against Roy High School, actually flew to Colorado to interview Mr. DeAngelis. Not to mention that many of the message board mutants hold Frank DeAngelis personally responsible for Columbine claiming that he fostered an atmosphere if bullying that caused cowards Harris and Klebold to attack the school even though no evidence of them being bullied exists.

Lesser men would have shrunk away from the responsibilities of running a school after such a tragedy but Frank DeAngelis not only turned it into the rallying cry for the school of “We Are Columbine” but he led that charge for another 14 years. If Colorado has any kind of principal of the year award it should be named after Frank DeAngelis.

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5 responses to “Columbine principal Frank DeAngelis to retire”

Faye

August 21, 2013 at 11:18 pm

I know Columbine is a hot topic for many after all these years, but I do think bullying happened-it happens at all schools and many of their friends came forward to say that yes, people picked on them. Do I think that caused this? Not one hundred percent. I do commend Frank for his position after all these years and hope whoever takes over does an outstanding job as he did.

Reply
1. Trench Reynolds
  
  August 23, 2013 at 7:18 am
  
  With all due respect Harris and Klebold never mentioned bullying in any of their documentation leading up to the shooting and after all these years no one has ever been able to produce a name of their alleged bullies. Conversely the names of the kids that Klebold and Harris were accused of bullying are well documented.
  
  Reply
  1. Faye
    
    September 3, 2013 at 10:12 am
    
    I’m not denying they didn’t bully, not at all. I do know the names were documented and people stepped forward to say that Klebold and Harris bullied them. However, just because none of Harrises’ and Klebolds’ friends gave out specific names of who bullied them doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I do feel that a lot of what they did express-about not fitting in, feeling like they were looked down upon by popular kids-this was a lot of thoughts in their head/their illnesses making them feel this way, because they did have friends that felt like they seemed to be perfectly normal dudes. I know no specific names were given, those statements say they were teased and bullied by more ‘popular kids because they were ‘weird/dressed funny/liked odd stuff’ type of deal. I can’t simply just brush these people off when many came forward and said they witnessed it or even got targeted themselves for knowing Harris and/or Klebold, just because a specific name wasn’t mentioned. (Of course, a lot of these people state that those who did bully them were grades ahead of them, so by the time the shootings happened, those people had already gone, and many seem to feel that senior year for the two seemed to be when they got into fights the most with other students.)
    
    Again: not a reason for this senseless tragedy at all, I’m definitely not saying they were perfect angels in the least, and of course people are bullied and teased in high school and never ‘get revenge’ for what they went through. However, with a person that already has a mental illness,(and let’s face it, these two had something going on) even just ribbing on their choice of a shirt can have a huge impact on their self esteem and self worth. It’s a lousy reason for that, I know, but it happens sadly too much with those struggling with an illness and just wanting to fit in. A small thing can set them them off. Again, I do not think what they experienced in school was the sole reason they did what they did.
    
    But I reiterate: not an excuse and not a reason by a long shot. That’s my two cents on the subject, we’ll have to agree to disagree about the ‘were they bullied’ subject, but my statement about Principal DeAngelis doing what he could after this happened is indeed sincere. I hope whoever replaces him upholds his beliefs and authority.
    
    Reply
Guest

August 22, 2013 at 5:57 pm

Being a smarty here, but Trench, you do know it’s not 2001 right? “…1999 that he would stay at the school until they graduated. That was 2 years ago.”

Reply
1. Trench Reynolds
  
  August 23, 2013 at 7:24 am
  
  I believe he was referring to the kids in kindergarten at 1999 who would have graduated in 2011.
  
  Reply