Thomas Jefferson High School 3950 South Holly Street, Denver, CO 80237

"TLDR; I was cussed at, abused, and attacked by administration forcing me to leave the school due to misinterpretation and intentional altering of details regarding a behavioral event I had. I was a previous student (now in college) and find that I'm finally able to write a review that isn't clouded by high school drama. Thomas Jefferson High School (TJ) is an awful institute that Denver Public Schools (DPS) should immediately be considered for revamps, or to be shut down. I was a student for my Freshman year as well as the first half of my Sophomore year. High school life was toxic, it was a place where dreams were shoved aside by the "intuitive" or rather plain and undeveloped required courses for graduation. You don't feel safe as a student from some students and from the administration. There is clear nepotism and bias in the administration and it leads to them ruining teenager lives. During my first semester as a Sophomore and as a computer science fanatic, I made the ill choice of hacking one of the school computers. The moment I found the exploit, I reported it to the schools IT department, in person. They laughed it off and that was the last I heard of it for a few weeks. Then, on any other awful ordinary day, I was pulled into a room with the Principal, head of their Technology department, and a random English teacher that had no involvement with anything at all. They berated me for answers, said that the IT thought I was just talking gibberish and slapped me with "$10,000 in damages to computers.'" My process of breaking into the machine caused absolutely no damage to anything except their egos. During this meeting, I asked for a few minute break because it was a lot to process and I was getting light headed. Instead they said, and I quote, "Don't try and make us pity you and give you mercy, now you'll shut the f*** up and answer our questions." This was a huge moment, as now it was okay for them to deny me even a 2 minute break and can cuss freely at me, a student. Eventually my mother arrived (they decided to wait and not call her until administration had their turn with me). When she arrived she also said that I could use a few minute break, they blindly said of course to my mother cause they can't force a parent otherwise, but immediately turned around and kept going. Upsetting my mother and I beyond reason. I should also note that there was another teacher from J.R.O.T.C there for no reason as well, just randomly going off on me for stuff that happened that wasn't even against rules or bad behavior, so thanks to him as well. I was never kicked out of the school, but they tried to destroy my education in every reason forcing me out of the school. I left and went to Overland High School which is somewhat close to TJ, my education quality increased tri-fold and I just felt better on their campus. I would not be the successful student I am now if I stayed at TJ. To the parents reading school reviews for their kids, for the student doing their own research on a high school, this is my official warning for this institute. It's dangerous, it's soul-crushing, and this school will severely hamper your education (which is insanely vital). If you're in-district, fight like heck to choice into another school. Please, I don't want another student to go through what I had to. It's not fair to them, it's not fair to the parents, and it's rough on any kids mind. I had to go through months and months of counseling to adjust to my new school and forgive what happened to TJ. THIS IS NOT SLANDER, this is my point of view on events that happened on campus and on their watch."

"Great school filled with so many great programs for everyone from Choirs to Varsity Football to the Magnet program to JROTC. It's fantastic. However the math department is not very good. The language arts dept. is the best."

"This is my Freshman Year at TJ and so far it has been a great place and experience for me to get to know so many people and to learn many new things. The teachers are very helpful when I do not understand a certain topic. Over the past semester, TJ has become more like a second home to me, and the people there have become more of a family to me, which is why I am so proud to be a Spartan."

"great school, great sports, great curriculum, great teachers and more. all around its a great school except for the people. The people are mostly good but some like those in previous posts have given up and seek out to ruin the learning experiences for others rather than trying to improve upon themselves. They then proceed to blame the staff and curriculum rather than themselves. If you don't pass, they offer you alternatives to Apex. The students best interest is in fact in mind assuming it is also in yours. Thank you Tj!"

"The governing staff doesn't seem to have the students' best interest at heart and the assistant principle is unreasonable, seems to be slightly if not completely racist, and presumptuous. The curriculum is average and the school is appealing to the eye. The students surroundings as far as they can see is conducive to learning. Still my experiences at this school were less than satisfying partially at my fault and partially of the governing staffs fault."