APS Superintendent Tim Whalen? Let's Hope Not!

Tim Whalen is the principal of Manzano High School and is supposed to be among those being considered for the open superintendency.

I often receive comments from readers about the problems they see as APS employees. This is the story related by one.

I have emailed Mr. Whalen regarding the facts of the allegation and received no response.

It is alleged that a member of the staff at Manzano High School spoke at the public forum at a school board meeting. He was concerned about the lack of coordination between the APS PD and APD.

Whalen apparently received a report from someone at the board meeting and took offense; apparently thinking MHS had been disparaged by the remarks.

It is reported that he came into a meeting of department heads and started "bitching out" this teacher in front of his colleagues for speaking out a public forum before coming to him (Whalen). He apparently threatened the teacher if the situation was repeated.

Again, I didn't witness any part of this; but I did ask Whalen for his side, and received no reply.

However unprofessional it was for a principal to chastize an employee in front of his peers; it is more frightening still that the teacher was chastized at all for exercising his right to free speech. While the teacher didn't disparage MHS directly; it would have made no difference if he had. A teacher enjoys the same rights as any citizen; including the right to speak out at a public forum and on any issue.

This is exactly the behavior the leadership of the APS likes in administrators; keeping the lid on the truth.

They hide if they can, the truth about administrative incompetence; as in the hiding of the truth about the over spending at the Uptown Administrative Complex. They hide if they can, the truth about administrative corruption; as in hiding the results of the investigation into the corruption in the leadership of the APSPD.

Whalen would be the perfect superintendent if the goal is to intimidate employees into not speaking out publicly about their concerns.

Not so perfect if the goal is to change things by looking at the truth and doing something about it.