Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Role Modeling the Student Standards of Conduct

What does that phrase mean?

There are written Student Standards of Conduct.
The standards to which students are accountable
are the Pillars of Character Counts!.

Students are accountable to that standard,
according to the Student Behavior Handbook
which is itself, an extension of School Board Policy.

Role modeling of the Student Standards of Conduct
means; holding oneself accountable to the same standards
to which students are accountable.

What does accountable mean?

It's easy for Winston Brooks to say, I am accountable
as a role model. But it's just talk.

He can't be a role model if all he has is talk.

APS distributes a handout to students, parents, and community
members. It is called Character is the Heart of New Mexico.
Requirement number two for a Character Counts! program;

"Students need to see adults "walk the talk"."

To be a role model, students must see him walk the talk.

Where is Winston Brooks walking the talk?

Can he show us a system where a legitimate complaint against
him will receive a "principled resolution", in an impartial system
powerful enough to hold him accountable even against his will?

Can he show us a system under which the least powerful
person in the APS, can hold the most powerful person,
honestly accountable for his conduct and competence, and
without fear of retribution and retaliation?

Winston Brooks cannot show us an impartial system
of any kind, much less one powerful enough to hold him
accountable even against his will.

There is such a thing as honest accountability.
It is as simple as a truly impartial investigation of complaints,
that reports to the public record.
(consistent with the spirit of the law).


Winston Brooks has not provided for a principled resolution
of legitimate complaints.

Ergo, Winston Brooks is not role modeling the student
standards of conduct, standards which require
respect for others' right to a principled resolution of
legitimate complaints.

Winston Brooks is not honestly accountable to the
APS Student Standards of Conduct,
by his own deliberate choice.

That choice is on its face, unethical.

He cannot honestly claim to be a positive role model of
any standard of ethical conduct.

At most, he is accountable only to the law; the lowest standard
of conduct acceptable among civilized human beings.

A glance at the record of litigation by APS Modrall,
will show that he cannot even claim honest accountability
even to the law. The record is of litigation whose purpose is
to except administrators and board members from accountability
to the law.

And the law is a far lower standard of conduct than
the standard to which he holds students accountable.

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

What are students seeing instead?
To: APS Students

From: The senior most, administrative role model
of the student standards of conduct,
APS Superintendent Winston Brooks.

Dear Students,
You will do as I say, not as I do, or else.

Thank you.

signed,
Winston Brooks

No comments: