Falsifying the record of a board meeting isn’t “dishonest”

…says APS’ Rigo Chavez, because it wasn’t the “official” record.

During the public forum of the board meeting before last, the board and superintendent were asked if they would hold themselves accountable to the same standard of conduct that they enforce upon students.

The truth is that they refused to answer. They sat in silent shame shuffling papers or engaging in childish staring contests with me. When the “record” of the board meeting was broadcast on local TV, their refusal to respond had been edited out of the record. Every person who watched the public forum on TV was deliberately deceived. But it wasn’t “dishonest” according to APS front man Chavez. The broadcast record isn’t “official”.

Who falsified the record? No one on the Board or Administration has come forward to be held accountable; so the finger now points to Russell Reid, the guy who edits the broadcast version. Mr. Reid knows better. In a previous chat with me, he assured me that the edited tapes reflect the truth; the entire board meeting without omission. It is beyond me why he would sacrifice his integrity to protect board members unless someone told him to, but like I said, no one else is standing up.

This has a familiar ring to it. Robert Lucero, who will be running for re-election next February, insisted that board members are not covered by the employee code of conduct because they are “not really employees”. They get paid by the District, but they are not “really” employees. And deliberately misleading people is not really “dishonest”.

Doesn’t it make you want to puke?

Mr. Chavez, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Lucero will be allowed to post a rebuttal if they care to.