Denver Public School principal's firing sends ripples of fear among educators

• DPS fired Dennis last week after he allegedly violated student privacy laws by publicly expressing safety concerns about district employees being required to check students for weapons. The change followed a teen shooting two deans during such a search at East High School in March.

Why it matters: His termination marks the latest controversy over how the district has handled school safety since the East High incident.

What they're saying: "They're worried that speaking out will backfire on us," Natalie Barrios, the athletic director at McAuliffe International, told Chalkbeat of her colleagues.

• "I feel like everyone needs to be on watch," said longtime DPS educator Suzanne Morris-Sherer, who retired earlier this year as principal of McAuliffe Manual, a sister school.

Of note: An online petition demanding Dennis' return has received more than 5,500 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.

The other side: DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero called accusations that Dennis was fired for voicing his concerns "100% false," in a letter he sent to staff, which was obtained by Chalkbeat.

• The district said Dennis was fired following standard protocol, adding that "not all employee discipline data would be publicly known or shared with other school leaders."

What's next: Dennis has hired an attorney and is planning to fight his termination with a lawsuit against DPS. His lawyer, David Lane, argues he was fired for speaking up, CPR reports.

Go deeper with our reporting partners at Chalkbeat