Open and honest discussion of role modeling of the APS Student Standards of Conduct.

Please watch my presentation during the public forum at the October 7th APS School Board Meeting. Link to the board meeting; I speak from 33:09 until 34:42.

I pointed to the fact that Board Member Robbins had mislead stakeholders when he assured them that the "district supports Character Counts! emphatically."

I pointed out to him that, when
APS Director of Communications
Rigo Chavez was asked to point to even
one single overt act of support from the
administration for Character Counts!,
he could not point to one; not one.







Robbins chose not to retract, explain, defend, or even acknowledge that he had mislead stakeholders on the district's support for Character Counts!.

I suggested that the ongoing refusal of the leadership of the APS to discuss openly and honestly, the APS Student Standards of Conduct and administrative and executive role modeling of those standards, is a manifest lack of character and courage.

The only reasons that the leadership of the APS will not discuss these issues candidly, forthrightly and honestly, is their lack of character, and/or their lack of courage. If there is a third reason, I cannot imagine it, nor can anyone in the leadership of the APS.

Board Member Lorenzo Garcia took personal umbrage. He insisted that I had insulted him personally, that I had assailed his personal character and courage. See him, 48:15 to 50:20.

His tack is a familiar one; change the subject.

The issue is not his personal character and courage overall. The truth is, as far as his personal character is concerned, I believe he has more than most on the board. Maybe more than all the rest combined.

He will rely on my alleged assault on that character, to divert attention from the fact that I have made it very clear that we are talking about one specific topic; administrative and executive role modeling of the APS Student Standards of Conduct. I know nothing of the rest of his life, nor have I made any allusions to it, ever.

No where in his attack on me, did he agree to actually participate in an open and honest discussion. He did allow that we could talk "privately". While I have no objection to a private conversation, I made it clear to him that a public discussion is called for.

I emailed him and suggested that he could settle the issue of whether he has the character and courage to discuss these subjects openly and honestly, by simply putting the subjects on the agenda for his District Relations Committee. The subject was placed on the table at the district's Policy Committee, and was immediately tabled, link. Garcia has the authority to put the subjects on the table in the committee he chairs, for open and honest discussion.

Whether he will or not, I maintain, is an issue of character and courage, not in his life, but on these issues specifically. I have invited him, as I have invited every member of the leadership of the APS, over and over again, to suggest a third reason that justifies the ongoing refusal to discuss important issues, openly and honestly.

There is not one.

cc Lorenzo Garcia upon posting.



photos Mark Bralley