I guess we just won’t ask

With the removal of the public forum from school board meetings, the forum is no longer on the record; questions asked during the forum can now be ignored with impunity.

Stakeholders can no longer expect answers to questions like:

• Why did the board unnecessarily renovate a board room at a cost of $600,000 while students are being taught in hallways and closets?
• Why is there no one to hold accountable for that decision?
• Have the Leaders of the APS deliberately, methodically, and routinely ignored the requirements of the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, and the Open Meetings Act, and the Governmental Conduct Act?
• Will the record of the tax dollars paid to the lawyers of Modrall, show that the money was spent in the public best interest; or will it show that it was spent enabling senior administrators and board members to dodge accountability to any meaningful standard of conduct?
• Character Counts Leadership Council President, NM Broadcasters Association President and, APS School Board President Paula Maes is married to the President of the Modrall Law Firm. They are the third in the axis of administration, board, and Modrall; the one that stands between APS Leadership and honest accountability. Is this relationship appropriate? Has it been abused?
• Did APS Leaders, by and through lawyers from Modrall, purchase personal immunity from accountability to allegations of felony criminal misconduct, with tax dollars?
• Does their record show that they are accountable to the law?
• What justifies the fact that students in the APS are accountable to the Pillars of Character Counts; and the Leaders of the APS are not?
• Is it acceptable for them to self-except themselves from accountability to the standard they enforce upon students?
• Are they accountable as role models?
• Are they obligated to lead by example?
• Why is prohibited behavior routinely permitted on school campuses; why are students in charge in schools?
• Why does the District have no discipline philosophy despite the obvious problems caused by the lack of discipline in schools?
• Are administrative evaluations still “… subjective and unrelated to promotions or step placement…”?
• Is the culture of the APS still one of retribution and retaliation?
• Why won’t APS Leaders refute even one allegation that has been made against them? Why is stonewalling their only response?
• Has the Leadership of the APS deliberately interfered with efforts to inform stakeholders and to enable their participation in decisions that affect their interests?
• What is the ethical justification for removing pubic forum from the public record?
• What is the justification for removing from their own code of conduct the expectation that, “…in no case shall the standard for an adult be lower than the standard for students…?
• Why won’t they answer the question; will you hold yourself honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct?



There are other questions of course. These are enough to prove that they will not answer even one; … on the record.

And that is why the public forum is no longer on the public record.

If the Journal and Trib asked these questions, and then reported the truth to stakeholders; the results of the February 6 elections would be affected.

Does it not follow then that, their refusal to investigate and report upon the APS ethics and accountability scandal will affect the election as well?

Are they deliberately fixing an election?

That would be wrong; right?