The future of the APS will be decided by 8am Tuesday, March 24, 2009.

I would argue that the next meeting of the
APS Policy and Instruction Committee
will determine the very future of the APS.

At 7:30 in the morning, Tuesday, March 24, 2009,
the school board will decide whether the role modeling clause
will be returned to the Employee Standards of Conduct.

It was removed from employee standards in January of 2005,
deliberately, and with forethought.

The clause reads;

In no case shall the standard of conduct for an adult,
be lower than the standard of conduct for students.

If the clause is restored, the leadership of the APS will be
honestly accountable to a nationally recognized, accepted, and
respected code of ethical conduct.

If not, then they will remain unaccountable, even to the law;
the lowest standard of acceptable conduct.

You can see how that presents as a fork in the road.

I am trying to get the meeting moved to the evening,
in order that stakeholders might have the opportunity
to attend and participate meaningfully in a decision
that affects their interests.

Students, perhaps more than any other stakeholders,
should be allowed to watch, when the leadership of the APS
decides whether they will hold themselves honestly accountable
as role models of the Student Standard of Conduct
for at least the few hours a day that
they hold students accountable to that standard.


The more stakeholders that show up at that meeting,
the more likely it is that the leadership of the APS
will summon the character and the courage to step up
as role models of the Student Standard of Conduct.

They were able to take the clause out in January, 2005,
because too few people stepped up to stop them.

They will not put the clause back in,
unless more people step up to make them.

You pick a side, when you don't pick a side.





As a Character Counts! trainer, I had occasion to give to
children who had "graduated Character Counts! training,
a tee shirt that on its front and back read;

Stand up for what you believe in
... even if you are standing alone.

It would be shameful if we then let them.

Students who are standing up for what they believe in
need;

• an adult behind them, offering support,
• an adult beside them, sharing the burden, and
• an adult in front of them, leading by personal example.

If we really want these kids to grow up to embrace character,
and courage, and honor, someone has to show them
what they look like.

Starting with the school board and the superintendent.