... and then, the Praetorian Guard rolled in.

I went to the Uptown Administrative Complex at 6400 Uptown Blvd. to get hard copy of some "public records". I use that term deliberately now, as the foundation for my absolute and incontrovertible right to be there asking for the documents I was chasing.

I deliberately did not use that term in the UAC. It would have triggered a months long battle with APS' Custodian of Public Records, Rigo Chavez and the legal weaselry they employ to secret public records from public knowledge.

The documents prove that the leadership of the APS does not give a rat's ass about the opinions of teachers or anyone else that actually works with kids.

The short version is that there are more than 70,000 years of teaching experience in the APS, and the leadership of the APS has never, and I repeat never, made any real effort to survey teachers, and ask them about the problems they face.

And I was looking for the public records that prove my case.
I was actually having some success, and then the Praetorian Guard rolled in to halt my search.

Let me begin by describing my behavior in the building. This is important because there is a deliberate effort being made to destroy the messenger in order to suppress the message. They are always trying to build a case that I am "dangerous".

I try very hard not to appear threatening.
I always sit when I can. I stand at some distance.
I keep my hands in my pockets.
I make every effort to have witnesses.
I follow the rules absolutely.
I am courteous. (Somewhat less courteous, in response to arrogance.)

I make every effort to make sure that any interaction is recorded on tape.

I have done nothing to justify the harassment I experience.

I stand proudly on my record. I would show any part of it,
I would do any of it again, in front of any one of the thousands of students whose character I sought to develop.

Never the less, my search for the public records, drew the attention of no less than three members of the APS Praetorian Guard.

I am justified in calling it a Praetorian Guard wikilink .
The APS Police Department is a publicly funded,
private police force.

The armed Police Force reports directly to the leadership of the APS. It reports only to the leadership of the APS. It is certificated by no one, it is accredited by no one, and it is overseen by no one, except the leadership of the APS.

It reports directly to the people it investigates. And, it is used to protect them from their "enemies". Ultimately, I left without records I came for, although I am certain that they were immediately available to the people who refused to surrender them.

The power to control and conceal the truth is manifest in the current secrecy surrounding public corruption and criminal conspiracy in the leadership of the APS Police Department circa 2006/2007. They are powerful enough that they can allow statutes of limitation to expire, rather than turn over evidence of felony criminal misconduct to District Attorney Kari Brandenburg.

And here I am, in a small hallway with three of them, at least one armed, encouraging me to leave the building. It was the Praetorian Guard who ran me out of Risk Management when I was trying to get copies of public records that demonstrated that my principal had falsified public records in order to cover up the fact that he was not conducting the fire drills required by board policy, state fire codes, and the law.

I was encourage to leave, not because I was bowing up and
getting in people's faces,
but because I am looking them in the eye and demanding that
they tell the truth.

I demand that they respond to legitimate questions, and candidly, and forthrightly, and honestly.

I demand that they surrender public records in accordance with the law.

I demand that they hold themselves honestly accountable as role models, or explain to us why they will not.


And they think that they intimidate me to the point
that I will give up.


At this point, I am compelled to reiterate;

I do not hold any of the rank and file of the APS accountable for the actions they are ordered to take against me. Nor do I hold accountable (except for guilty knowledge) anyone except the person who's fist pounds on the table last, in a meeting of the "leadership" of the APS.
I suspect that it is Paula Maes and the Modrall law firm.
Whomever it is, everyone else is just "following orders".

In fairness, they are following orders in what the Council of the Great City Schools, described as a "culture of fear of retribution and retaliation ..."

The Praetorian Guards have arrested me on at least six separate occasions for no reason except to deny me the freedom to exercise my rights. I have never been charged with anything. I am only detained until the period of time that I can claim a right to, has expired. This is so absolutely wrong.

The very worst part of this whole thing is; there is a school board election in less than two months. Voters will elect a majority of the school board with no knowledge about the ethics and accountability scandal in the leadership of the APS.

Voters depend upon the media for the truth.
They need the truth in order to vote for the candidate who will admit to the problem and commit to the solution.

The Journal will not tell voters the truth. KRQE and Larry Barker won't touch it. KOAT, KOB. KKOB have all taken a pass.

As I have often mentioned; Paula Maes in the President of the good ol' boys club they call; the New Mexico Broadcasters Association.

I think that there is a privileged class here in River City. They are accountable only to each other, and I think that they cover each others asses.

I am open to any alternative explanation for their apparent license to self except themselves from accountability even to the law.

Except that they are privileged and we are not.

We are the great unwashed. There is not one of us with
"standing" enough to complain against their misconduct.

The analogy continues to the solution;
there is no way out of this,
except the only way it has ever been done before,
and the only way it will ever be done.

More of us have to show up somewhere than them.
Any then we take back control over what is ours.

We seize back control over power and resources that are
fundamentally our own. This is our power, and our resources.
Control over that power will not be given back.
It will not be legislated back.
It will not be ordered back in a court.
It will not be taken back in an election.

It will be taken back in a revolution.

The smallest band of good ol' boys in the smallest castle,
is the leadership of the APS. They are the Achilles Heel of
public corruption and incompetence.

All that stands between us and them is their Praetorian Guard.

And their cronies in the media.




This must change. It cannot be allowed to continue.

It is time for us to act.


how?
torches and pitchforks

where?
any board meeting

why?

• to demand the truth from our servants; to demand that they name a time, and a day, and a place where they will sit and answer legitimate questions, candidly, forthrightly, and honestly.
• to demand honest accountability to meaningful standards of conduct and competence;
• to demand absolute transparency in the administration of the public trust and treasure, and
• to demand honest accountability as role models of the student standard of conduct.

who?
everyone, all of us.

Sacrifice is the currency of commitment.
There is no equivalent gesture.
You have to show up.