The board of Littleton Public Schools will meet Thursday when, according to an agenda item, district staffers will recommend that the board approve a proposal allowing the family of Claire Davis more access to information about the December 2013 school shooting that left her dead.
The description of the board action was removed Wednesday.
District officials did not respond to a request for comment, but the item was described in one line, stating that the recommended action is to “move the board approve the arbitration agreement with the Davis family and the President be directed to sign the arbitration agreement.”
Last month, the Davis family, which has expressed frustration that Littleton schools have not been more forthcoming about events surrounding the shooting, asked the district’s board to enter into a binding agreement to begin public arbitration proceedings.
Both sides would be entitled to full discovery under state civil procedure rules, including depositions, subpoena power and more.
All discovery and proceedings would be public. The district would agree not to invoke a federal student privacy law to avoid answering, except to redact personally identifying information about students, under the proposal submitted by the Claire Davis’ father, Michael.
In return, the family promised not to sue the district, something they would be able to do if a bill before the legislature passes.
After the proposal, Littleton Public Schools Superintendent Scott Murphy wrote a letter to district families saying the district has “always been transparent.”
The district has not commented, however, on the assessment it did on shooter Karl Pierson after he threatened his speech and debate coach. It also has not answered questions about discipline and safety procedures. Pierson, a fellow student, turned the gun on himself.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372, yrobles@denverpost.com or twitter.com/yeseniarobles
