When I was a kid, a silly movie landed in theaters — “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” That cheesy title perfectly illustrates a piece of legislation currently being considered in Denver. It is being smuggled in under the guise of stopping the “school to prison pipeline” that unfairly impacts minorities. The reality is far more insidious.

In a nutshell, SB 21-182 would legalize crime on Colorado campuses. Among its many provisions are specific behaviors and conduct for which students shall no longer be held accountable:

• Physically attacking staff or students

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• Disorderly conduct

• Theft

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• Trespass/criminal trespass

• Criminal mischief/vandalism

• Harassment

• Drugs/drug possession

• Causing nonserious bodily harm

Not only would law enforcement be prohibited from arresting the offender, the school would not be permitted to discipline the student.

As the Denver Post noted last week, “The bill immunizes literally every crime in the entire Colorado Criminal Code, misdemeanor and below, including violent crimes that cause ’Bodily Injury,’ and sexual crimes such as grabbing or fondling a student or teacher’s private parts. Only those crimes that inflict ’Serious Bodily Injury’ (basically broken bones and worse) are still enforceable.”

Consider the on-campus assault the Boulder King Soopers mass shooter was convicted of in 2017. In that incident, Ahmad Alissa launched an unprovoked attack against another student. Police found the victim beaten, bloody and vomiting, with one eye swollen shut. Under SB 21-182, police wouldn’t even be able to write Alissa a ticket, and the school would not be allowed to administer discipline of any kind.

Make no mistake: SB 21-182 legalizes campus crime and puts our children and teachers at risk. All in the name of being woke.

Please reach out to Gov. Jared Polis and urge him to withdraw his support for this insanity. He can be contacted at 303-866-2471 or governorpolis@state.co.us.

Brian Kotowski

Milner