Monday, October 16, 2006

APS Police officers reveal student safety issue despite fear of retaliation

According to KRQE news, two employees of the APS Police department stepped up to tell the truth about safety concerns regarding APS portable classrooms. The news report on the officers’ allegations substantiated the concern that they had raised.

The officers had asked that their identities be kept secret for fear of being fired. They raised a legitimate concern about student safety; and for that they fear retaliation.

Their fear is not unjustified. An audit by the Council of Great City Schools revealed that fear of retribution and retaliation against those who question decisions of superiors was part of the “culture” in the APS. Their use of the word “culture” is not insignificant. Retribution and retaliation against those who rock the boat in the APS is not limited to isolated instances.

Telling the truth about a school safely issue should not provoke retaliation; but in the APS it does. The men, women and lawyers that lead the APS are all about suppressing inconvenient truth. Not to forget, it was only one month ago that the broadcast record of a school board meeting was falsified to conceal the truth about the refusal of the board and superintendent to hold themselves accountable to a code of ethical conduct. Because they have excepted themselves from ethical accountability, they are able to continue to hide the truth from stakeholders; even when the stakes include student safety.

For how much longer will APS Leaders and the media continue to conceal the truth about the APS Ethics Scandal and the damage it is causing?

No comments: