Winston Brooks tired of hearing; "Well, this is New Mexico"

According to an article in the New Mexico Business Weekly,
link, Winston Brooks acknowledges a culture that needs to
change; the culture of low expectations regarding public service,
the schools in particular.

"Brooks said he has heard a certain phrase far too many
times since taking the superintendent’s job in July 2008:
“‘Well, this is New Mexico.’”

“It’s almost said in a spirit of ‘Don’t expect all that much,’”
he said. “That’s a culture that ought to change.”"

According to the article,
Brooks said, the perception of APS
"often overshadows the reality."

The perception is that there is
a lack of standards and accountability
in the leadership of the APS.





Governor Bill Richardson said, APS has a statewide earned
reputation for its lack of accountability.

Mayor Marty Chavez argued that the lack of standards and
accountability in the leadership of the APS warranted mayoral
appointments of school board members.

Current School Board President Marty Esquivel
pointed to real concerns that warranted the involvement of
the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office. link.

There has never been an audit of APS standards and
accountability that did not reveal a significant lack of both.

The last time the Council of the Great City Schools audited,
(the APS Police Department) they wrote that the leadership
of the APS had a history of not correcting issues identified
in previous audits.

Almost two years later, the Meyners Audit revealed a lack
standards and accountability in the APS Finance Division
that APS Board Member Robert Lucero described as a
crisis in leadership.

The perception is that
APS lacks standards, accountability, and the will to change.

They reality is that
they steadfastly refuse to allow an impartial standards and
accountability audit. Paula Maes said that she would
"never agree" to any audit that named the names of the
corrupt and the incompetent in the leadership of the APS.


In this case, the perception does not overshadow the reality
at all; it is spot on.

And that's a culture that ought to change.



photo Mark Bralley