Colorado rang in 2014 with a bit of a mellow buzz -- a certain relaxed attitude -- and it was a feeling that lasted throughout the year. Sure, that mellow was harshed by continuing problems with police and sheriff's deputies, as well as a very contested (and expensive) election season. But we also got a few needed civics lessons in the form of same-sex marriage and student protests. In the end, though, our minds remained tuned to the biggest story of the year: legalized marijuana. What will 2015 bring? Who knows? Anything can happen when you're a mile high. For proof, here are our strangest Colorado stories of 2014, compiled from news sources across Colorado -- including Westword. Or, you can check out all our Year in Review 2014: Strange But True.
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See also: The Year in Review 2014: Strange But True
Every day is 'Merica Day for some people, but when the student council at Fort Collins High School tried to add 'Merica Day to its lineup of Spirit Week festivities in February, school officials rejected it, saying that the slang word is usually used to make fun of overly patriotic dimbulbs. Well, they didn't say it exactly like that, but close enough. Anyway, some of the dimbulbs themselves, including Fox News, objected to the school's decision not to make fun of them, so the principal relented and decided to allow the students to change it to American Day. God bless.
The Caprock Academy charter school in Grand Junction sent a nine-year-old girl home in March because she had shaved her head in support of an eleven-year-old friend who was facing chemotherapy treatments to fight cancer. The reason for the school's actions? Kamryn Renfro was violating its dress code. "Caprock Academy does have a detailed dress code policy, which was created to promote safety, uniformity, and a non-distracting environment for the school's students. Under this policy, shaved heads are not permitted," Caprock board chairwoman Catherine Norton Breman told KUSA-TV. The school reversed its position after a public outcry.
A 24-year-old teacher at STRIVE Preparatory Schools SMART Academy in Denver was charged with assault in October and fired from his job after police said he'd caused an explosion during a classroom demonstration that injured four students, one of them critically. Officials said the teacher should have known better than to pour methanol on a fire. Have a tip? Send it to editorial@westword.com.
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