Present day.. would you let your child go to CHS?

17 years later & after the fact of 4/20.. let's say you transferred into Littleton & had the option of enrolling your child @ CHS or another school not much further away, what would you advise for your child?

No way. I am homeschooling my child, and if they were able to talk me into actually letting them go to school once they got to be high school age, I wouldn't let them go there.

Yes I would , my kids are both graduated and serving in the army but I've never known of them mistreating others

I am not sure. My husband seems hell bent on private school for our daughter and she is only 2 so we have a long while to figure it out.

I will say though I think most public high schools are the same. So if we decided on public school I don't think I would think twice about sending her there.

For example, my high school that I went to was also sports-centric. We had a total of 3 gyms and the football games were the highlight of the year in my town. My school never had a shooting but we had a record number of suicides my senior year. I don't see CHS as much different from where I went to school.

Probably not, if I had other options available to me.

I don't think Columbine is any different than other high schools across the country.  Most high schools are sports-centric, full of cliques, and teachers are exhausted, underpaid, and simply don't care enough to intervene in regards to many issues.  I would prefer that my children go to high school in a Scandinavian country, but that is most likely not going to happen, so I feel neutral about Columbine.

CHS is cut of the same mold as most public US high schools, but it is certainly top tier in academics, sports and just about every arena they choose to compete in. It's suburban upper middle class, so safe to say the cliques are prevalent and we can safely assume "who runs the school".

Outside of 4/20, it's an excellent choice if public education is your only option. It's been 17 years, so the threat or cloud hanging over it has faded to a memory I would think.

In my first year here in CO the possibility of my son spending his senior year in HS in this area was considered. He was here all summer and fell in love with the area and will attend college here in the fall.

He made some local friends and got to know the social scenery, Columbine was to be one of his/if not most likely options.

I'd say I was 80/20 on supporting CHS as an option when the topic was hot. 20% may be strong, but the dark cloud from 4/20.. albeit 17 years ago, still lingered. The positives were the fact that it is a great school by most standards (I assume all US schools to have the clique issues), just a great school with ties to a very unfortunate tragedy.

Fatheroftwo wrote:

CHS is cut of the same mold as most public US high schools, but it is certainly top tier in academics, sports and just about every arena they choose to compete in.  It's suburban upper middle class, so safe to say the cliques are prevalent and we can safely assume "who runs the school".

Outside of 4/20, it's an excellent choice if public education is your only option.  It's been 17 years, so the threat or cloud hanging over it has faded to a memory I would think.

In my first year here in CO the possibility of my son spending his senior year in HS in this area was considered.  He was here all summer and fell in love with the area and will attend college here in the fall.

He made some local friends and got to know the social scenery, Columbine was to be one of his/if not most likely options.

I'd say I was 80/20 on supporting CHS as an option when the topic was hot.  20% may be strong, but the dark cloud from 4/20..  albeit 17 years ago, still lingered.  The positives were the fact that it is a great school by most standards (I assume all US schools to have the clique issues), just a great school with ties to a very unfortunate tragedy.

Thanks [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], I was waiting to see what your reply to this would be!

ThoughtBox wrote:

Fatheroftwo wrote:

CHS is cut of the same mold as most public US high schools, but it is certainly top tier in academics, sports and just about every arena they choose to compete in.  It's suburban upper middle class, so safe to say the cliques are prevalent and we can safely assume "who runs the school".

Outside of 4/20, it's an excellent choice if public education is your only option.  It's been 17 years, so the threat or cloud hanging over it has faded to a memory I would think.

In my first year here in CO the possibility of my son spending his senior year in HS in this area was considered.  He was here all summer and fell in love with the area and will attend college here in the fall.

He made some local friends and got to know the social scenery, Columbine was to be one of his/if not most likely options.

I'd say I was 80/20 on supporting CHS as an option when the topic was hot.  20% may be strong, but the dark cloud from 4/20..  albeit 17 years ago, still lingered.  The positives were the fact that it is a great school by most standards (I assume all US schools to have the clique issues), just a great school with ties to a very unfortunate tragedy.

Thanks [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], I was waiting to see what your reply to this would be!

The same, was wondering if most had the same thoughts of "tainted place" & what other factors were considered.

Fatheroftwo wrote:

ThoughtBox wrote:

Fatheroftwo wrote:

CHS is cut of the same mold as most public US high schools, but it is certainly top tier in academics, sports and just about every arena they choose to compete in.  It's suburban upper middle class, so safe to say the cliques are prevalent and we can safely assume "who runs the school".

Outside of 4/20, it's an excellent choice if public education is your only option.  It's been 17 years, so the threat or cloud hanging over it has faded to a memory I would think.

In my first year here in CO the possibility of my son spending his senior year in HS in this area was considered.  He was here all summer and fell in love with the area and will attend college here in the fall.

He made some local friends and got to know the social scenery, Columbine was to be one of his/if not most likely options.

I'd say I was 80/20 on supporting CHS as an option when the topic was hot.  20% may be strong, but the dark cloud from 4/20..  albeit 17 years ago, still lingered.  The positives were the fact that it is a great school by most standards (I assume all US schools to have the clique issues), just a great school with ties to a very unfortunate tragedy.

Thanks [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], I was waiting to see what your reply to this would be!

The same, was wondering if most had the same thoughts of "tainted place" & what other factors were considered.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],
I'm guessing your son decided against Columbine? For me, Columbine is nothing like the high school I went to. Columbine seems and runs more like a college than a high school. I've mentioned it before but half the things they were allowed to do there, we were not allowed to do at my high school. No driving to school. All students had to take school buses or if they lived in the condominiums near the high school, they could walk.

If students were seen with cigarettes, even standing outside, they'd get suspended. At Columbine they had a pit where they were allowed to go and smoke. Most of the school doors at my school stayed shut/locked depending on which part of the school they were at and students were not allowed to leave the school for any reason whatsoever.

At Columbine they can go outside, they can leave for lunch. At my school, you ate lunch in the cafeteria and that's it. Unless you were in band or drama then sometimes those kids ate in the band room or the auditorium. I was a Library Aid for the 4 years I went to high school and sometimes I ate lunch in the back room of the Library. I was also in drama and on the stage crew so if it was close to when a school play would be coming out, we would eat lunch in the drama room/auditorium. But this was only for kids in certain school clubs. If you were just a regular student that didn't do activities, you ate in the Cafeteria and that was your only choice.

We were not allowed to wear shorts to school unless it was between June 1st - September 30th. When classes were going on, we were not allowed to wear hats or jackets, they were supposed to be in our lockers. Personally, I was never bullied but I did see kids get picked on from time to time but nothing like what I hear about Columbine. I never heard or seen athletes getting special treatment or teachers allowing certain things to slide. They took discipline seriously as far as I could tell. But my school was also nothing like Columbine on sports either. Someone once posted here on the forum that they thought Columbine looked like a sports arena (sorry I don't remember who said it, or I'd tag you) and I agree, the place, from the inside and outside, looks like a sports complex.

And I do believe that the principal from Columbine did show favoritism towards the athletes. Our principal was a well respected, fair man. Everyone at my school thought very highly of the guy. After he passed away, they renamed the street the school is on after him.

I guess in a way, I feel like I had it better in high school. We weren't allowed to do a lot, but I don't think high school kids should be given the kind of freedom they got over at Columbine (like letting them just come and go, drive to school, smoke on the property).

So these are definitely reasons I wouldn't pick Columbine and with anyone, I'm sure the fact the massacre happened there does weigh in on the decision. But that's asking a bunch of people obsessed with it and who think and talk about it daily. For other people, I'm sure they may have heard of Columbine happening but don't give it much thought.

No way.The administration, students and the community itself learned almost nothing from what happened.Besides some increased security it seems little has changed.

Jenn wrote:

Fatheroftwo wrote:

ThoughtBox wrote:

Fatheroftwo wrote:

CHS is cut of the same mold as most public US high schools, but it is certainly top tier in academics, sports and just about every arena they choose to compete in.  It's suburban upper middle class, so safe to say the cliques are prevalent and we can safely assume "who runs the school".

Outside of 4/20, it's an excellent choice if public education is your only option.  It's been 17 years, so the threat or cloud hanging over it has faded to a memory I would think.

In my first year here in CO the possibility of my son spending his senior year in HS in this area was considered.  He was here all summer and fell in love with the area and will attend college here in the fall.

He made some local friends and got to know the social scenery, Columbine was to be one of his/if not most likely options.

I'd say I was 80/20 on supporting CHS as an option when the topic was hot.  20% may be strong, but the dark cloud from 4/20..  albeit 17 years ago, still lingered.  The positives were the fact that it is a great school by most standards (I assume all US schools to have the clique issues), just a great school with ties to a very unfortunate tragedy.

Thanks [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], I was waiting to see what your reply to this would be!

The same, was wondering if most had the same thoughts of "tainted place" & what other factors were considered.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.],
I'm guessing your son decided against Columbine? For me, Columbine is nothing like the high school I went to. Columbine seems and runs more like a college than a high school. I've mentioned it before but half the things they were allowed to do there, we were not allowed to do at my high school. No driving to school. All students had to take school buses or if they lived in the condominiums near the high school, they could walk.

If students were seen with cigarettes, even standing outside, they'd get suspended. At Columbine they had a pit where they were allowed to go and smoke. Most of the school doors at my school stayed shut/locked depending on which part of the school they were at and students were not allowed to leave the school for any reason whatsoever.

At Columbine they can go outside, they can leave for lunch. At my school, you ate lunch in the cafeteria and that's it. Unless you were in band or drama then sometimes those kids ate in the band room or the auditorium. I was a Library Aid for the 4 years I went to high school and sometimes I ate lunch in the back room of the Library. I was also in drama and on the stage crew so if it was close to when a school play would be coming out, we would eat lunch in the drama room/auditorium. But this was only for kids in certain school clubs. If you were just a regular student that didn't do activities, you ate in the Cafeteria and that was your only choice.

We were not allowed to wear shorts to school unless it was between June 1st - September 30th. When classes were going on, we were not allowed to wear hats or jackets, they were supposed to be in our lockers. Personally, I was never bullied but I did see kids get picked on from time to time but nothing like what I hear about Columbine. I never heard or seen athletes getting special treatment or teachers allowing certain things to slide. They took discipline seriously as far as I could tell. But my school was also nothing like Columbine on sports either. Someone once posted here on the forum that they thought Columbine looked like a sports arena (sorry I don't remember who said it, or I'd tag you) and I agree, the place, from the inside and outside, looks like a sports complex.

And I do believe that the principal from Columbine did show favoritism towards the athletes. Our principal was a well respected, fair man. Everyone at my school thought very highly of the guy. After he passed away, they renamed the street the school is on after him.

I guess in a way, I feel like I had it better in high school. We weren't allowed to do a lot, but I don't think high school kids should be given the kind of freedom they got over at Columbine (like letting them just come and go, drive to school, smoke on the property).

So these are definitely reasons I wouldn't pick Columbine and with anyone, I'm sure the fact the massacre happened there does weigh in on the decision. But that's asking a bunch of people obsessed with it and who think and talk about it daily. For other people, I'm sure they may have heard of Columbine happening but don't give it much thought.

Son is finishing his Sr year in high school out of state with his Mom (where he was already enrolled/where I moved from.. ) it was more about me influencing him to graduate with is friends etc than any Columbine influences. As much as I'd loved to have him here now & accepted his likely desire to attend CHS, I knew it was in his best interest to stay for his last year where he's currently @.. he'll be here soon for college.

Athletes will always get the benefit & special treatment.. it's the American way. Even as an athlete growing up I know how it can feel to be on the outside looking in.. went to a Texas HS where the hierarchy was Football players above all.. then the rest of us down the ladder.

CHS's principal DeAngelis was also the baseball coach, no proof but he strikes me as the type that was a wanna be jock. It'd be fair to argue that his leadership from the top may have unknowingly set the tone for the culture @ CHS. The fact that CHS was over the top jock centric is undeniable & one of the very few tidbits any local from '99 has ever shared with me. The Rocky stories are just disgusting.. it's documented that even some of the jocks hated him. At least his young brother appeared to learn from him & possibly 4/20 & became what a true "student /athlete" should aspire to be.

My HS was just as bad. No one ever got seriously injured but bullying was ridiculous for a small school. At least Columbine offered a better education

Jbow89 wrote:

My HS was just as bad. No one ever got seriously injured but bullying was ridiculous for a small school. At least Columbine offered a better education

Anyone able to report from a private schooling background on bullying? I'd think it's less an issue, admin knows parents are paying $$$ & not likely to let things go like a public school family might, in thinking they don't have the options.

Fatheroftwo wrote:

Jbow89 wrote:

My HS was just as bad. No one ever got seriously injured but bullying was ridiculous for a small school. At least Columbine offered a better education

Anyone able to report from a private schooling background on bullying? I'd think it's less an issue, admin knows parents are paying $$$ & not likely to let things go like a public school family might, in thinking they don't have the options.

I did not go to private highschool but I went to private school until high school. In my town there are a lot of issues with drugs and the private school also had issues with drugs just as much as the other schools that were public.

The one I went to was not a religious private school though. In any case there was bullying. Certainly not like the stories from CHS but it did happen. I was picked on mostly on the bus, but I did have a teacher also pick on me once. When I was 6 she forbid me from using the bathroom until an assignment was finished and I wet my pants in front of the class. After that I was picked on about that for quite a while.

The counselors we had at the school were mostly a joke. The kids who were really really picked on were picked on until they left the school. I can remember other kids getting tripped in the halls and lots of "book flopping" where when kids were walking down the hall carrying books other kids would reach out and hit the books causing them to hit the floor.

Lizpuff wrote:

Fatheroftwo wrote:

Jbow89 wrote:

My HS was just as bad. No one ever got seriously injured but bullying was ridiculous for a small school. At least Columbine offered a better education

Anyone able to report from a private schooling background on bullying? I'd think it's less an issue, admin knows parents are paying $$$ & not likely to let things go like a public school family might, in thinking they don't have the options.

I did not go to private highschool but I went to private school until high school.  In my town there are a lot of issues with drugs and the private school also had issues with drugs just as much as the other schools that were public.

The one I went to was not a religious private school though.  In any case there was bullying.  Certainly not like the stories from CHS but it did happen.  I was picked on mostly on the bus, but I did have a teacher also pick on me once.  When I was 6 she forbid me from using the bathroom until an assignment was finished and I wet my pants in front of the class.  After that I was picked on about that for quite a while.  

The counselors we had at the school were mostly a joke.  The kids who were really really picked on were picked on until they left the school.  I can remember other kids getting tripped in the halls and lots of "book flopping" where when kids were walking down the hall carrying books other kids would reach out and hit the books causing them to hit the floor.  

Sounds like inevitably bullying exists everywhere & likely always will... just a question of to what degree.

I've been on just about every side of bullying as a student, friend, observer & parent. Bottom line: it sucks.

Was a small part of you disappointed he didn't go to Columbine cause you'd miss out on going inside for parents evening/ sports games/ performances?

Draw_It_White wrote:

Was a small part of you disappointed he didn't go to Columbine cause you'd miss out on going inside for parents evening/ sports games/ performances?

Not going to Columbine meant he would not be in Colorado with me til after HS graduation.. we are very close, but it was in his best interest to wait to move til after high school (he was in the same school system & same friends from K-11th grade & very involved). Had I pushed him to spend his Sr year here or even not let him know I thought waiting for college to move here was the best choice.. he would've jumped on it. The "risk" on him going to CHS had little or nothing to do with 4/20.. more so a risk his last yr in HS could have been a tough adjustment vs a guaranteed great year where he's at currently.

See Eric Harris re: adjustment/new kid on block issues.

Obviously I'm very interested in Columbine & have volunteered with the memorial clean up crew etc.., I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it would be of interest for my son to go there/experience it closer as a parent. Far far down the list on priorities tho.

My cousin's son will actually be graduating from there in a few weeks. He transferred there this year because of the football program.

If I lived close by, of course I would. Why not?

Any school is susceptible to become a target of a school shooting, it doesn't matter where it is.

Columbine may be a bit more extreme with the whole jock/prep culture but any school has that.

Any school is going to have its hypocrites, cliques, favoritism, etc that E/D experienced at Columbine.

Of course, I know kids who go to CHS and they're just as normal as I am, if not a lot nicer than I am

Also the closest high schools (Chatfield, Littleton) aren't that far anyways, so the wording in the OP is a bit of an exaggeration.