the cost of corruption and incompetence; the demise of Character Counts in the APS

Character Counts is a model for teaching ethics. It was unanimously adopted as the model to be used in the APS, by the board of education in the early 90s.

My personal opinion is that the model has a potential for proactively addressing discipline problems before they become problems, far ahead of any other plan considered or adopted by the APS. Although the connection might not be immediately obvious to some; its potential for improving the quality of the educational environment, raising test scores and lowering drop out rates is enormous.

The ball has been dropped by incompetent and corrupt administration of the program and its resources. Submitted as proof; the APS Character Counts website, last modified in 2003. There you will find an event calendar for last year; but none for this. You will find a leadership council page that has been under construction for years, literally. You will find a chronicle of events, the latest of which is six years old. The site is nothing, if not evidence of incompetence.

APS pays a full time senior administrator for Character Counts the equivalent of two or three teacher salaries; plus an office high up in the Uptown Complex. Her supervisor earns another three teacher salaries. His supervisor earns six teacher salaries. As many as twelve teacher salaries have been invested in Character Counts with nothing to show for it. To the extent that students are being exposed to Character Counts; the real load is being carried by those who receive no compensation at all for their investment.

At least three senior administrators sit on the Character Counts Leadership Council. The President of the Leadership Council is School Board President Paula Maes. The four have conspired to prevent the Council's attention to the fact that Maes and others have renounced the Pillars of Character Counts as the standard of conduct for public servants in their public service in the APS.

The hypocrisy of holding students accountable to a higher standard of conduct than adults, cannot be dismissed. The cost in financial terms cannot be justified or defended. The cost in terms of students who graduate without ever examining their character, without ever building their character, cannot be overestimated.

The whole thing is absolutely disgraceful. It is absolutely indefensible.

It will be the subject of continued stonewalling in order to protect those who are responsible, from any consequences for their incompetence and corruption;

for as long as Maes et al can prevent the
public discussion of their conduct and competence
as public servants.