Luis Garcia Sign Being Removed

On February 13th, 2023, 16-year-old East Student Luis Garcia was shot in his car on the north side of the Esplanade. He would succumb to his injury a few weeks later. No one has been arrested for the shooting, however, a lawsuit against DPS and the DPS Board claims to know who is responsible for the shooting. (9News)

Luis was a beloved member of the East community as well as the East soccer team, having helped the Angels to the 2022 state title. “Luis was an incredible teammate,” explained Senior Captain Liam Klossner. “He was the first guy on varsity that I had met, and immediately welcomed me and made me feel a part of the team. That’s the kind of person he was.”

On October 12, 2023, Luis was honored at a soccer game between East and the Far Northeast Warriors. Following the game, a banner, as well as a very visible display reading “Luis 11” appeared on the west fence of the field. However, this year marked a change, with neither the banner nor display being visible on the field due to district policy.

In the fall of 2024, East and Athletic Director Mr. Browne was informed that the small banner and signage on the fence was in violation of DPS policy FFA-R, which pertains to “Commemorative Activities and Memorials.” The policy states that “Temporary memorials shall be limited to flower arrangements, banners, pictures, notes and locker or student or staff desk displays.” While the memorial did fall within these regulations, it did violate the time constraints that the policy outlines. DPS policy FFA-R states that:  “All temporary memorials shall be thoughtfully removed within two days of the date of the funeral (or other service celebrating the life of the deceased) or within two weeks following the death of the student or staff member.”

The policy that DPS used to remove the signage was quite bothersome to the team, with the sign simply serving as a reminder of their dear friend. Klossner explained he felt  “very confused.” It is difficult to justify the removal of a small memorial, especially when it pertains to someone that was so close to the entire East community. “The sign wasn’t affecting anyone and it was remembering and honoring a teammate, friend, and classmate that we lost.” Klossner continued.

However, despite the sudden removal of the sign, the Angels remained as focused as ever. “I think it briefly affected the team,” said Goalkeeper Trey Wilhoite, “but in the end, we were playing for Luis in our hearts and we didn’t need a sign to show that.” The Angels would continue to fight through adversity, making yet another playoff appearance before bowing out to Cherry Creek in the quarter-finals last November.

While the team continued to play for Luis in their hearts, the reality of another type of memorial became difficult. Despite hopes of another way to commemorate their beloved teammate, they were informed that DPS would not permit anything remembering Luis to be constructed or placed on campus. The policy the district used to remove the banner also explains that “Permanent memorials shall be limited to student or faculty awards, donations, collections of books or other donated items of educational significance; or plantings.” The most they could do to remember Luis was bring a single banner to the bench with them during every game.

Luis will continue to be remembered for years to come, whether that be in the physical form or simply in the hearts of the East community. For now, the cherished memory of Luis must live in the hearts of the players each and every time they take the field.