They Call Me Mr. De

<p><strong>I was the principal at Colorado’s Columbine High School on April 20 1999. I remained principal for fifteen more years.</strong></p><p><strong>Virtually every day at the school I heard variations of How can you do this? How can you go back? How can you walk those same halls? How can you stand to be reminded every day?</strong></p><p><strong>Many friends and colleagues urged me to move on. I refused to seek or accept a transfer to another school or move to the Jeffco Public Schools central administration. I needed to be at Columbine. I wanted to be there. I couldn’t walk away—not from the kids not from the high school and not from that community. I wanted to make sure that those who were murdered that terrible day were never forgotten. Beyond that I wanted Columbine to become a story of courage love heart resilience and recovery. I wanted to lead the way to that healing.</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>“ This book is a testament to the power of compassion in the face of crisis and the age-old belief that leaders are not born but made.”</strong></p><p><strong>—President Bill Clinton</strong></p><p><strong>“Frank DeAngelis offers us a rare window into a personal journey few have traveled and fewer have paved.”</strong></p><p><strong>—Kristina Anderson founder The Koshka Foundation for Safe Schools</strong></p><p><strong>“An incredible book written by an incredible human being.”</strong></p><p><strong>—Scott Bemis retired president and publisher Denver Business Journal</strong></p><p><strong>“Tempered in the crucible of unimaginable tragedy DeAngelis’s voice emerges as optimistic and inspiring. Please read this book. We need its message now more than ever.”</strong></p><p><strong>—Steve Farber author The Radical Leap; founder and chairman The Extreme Leadership Institute</strong></p><p><strong>“This book is for every leader in every profession; it is the truth about trauma recovery and moving forward while never forgetting.”</strong></p><p><strong>—J. Kevin Cameron executive director North American Center for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response</strong></p><p><strong>“They Call Me ‘Mr. De’ should be required reading for every educator school resource officer and parent.”</strong></p><p><strong>—Theresa Campbell president Safer Schools Together</strong></p>