Why can't we talk about Character Counts!?

It is a school board election.

How are student standards of conduct not part of the discourse?

How is role modeling not part of the discourse?

I am prepared to discuss these points in a debate.
I am prepared to defend the Pillars of Character Counts!
as wholly appropriate standards of conduct for students
and for adults.

I am prepared to argue that we should restore to administrative standards of conduct, the phrase and the expressed commitment;

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

Why do those who would lower student standards of conduct in order to lower their own, not have to stand and deliver an explanation, defense, denial or even acknowledgment their failure?

Marty Esquivel will not defend his abdication as the senior most role model of the Pillars of Character Counts!

He cannot summon the character and the courage it would take to hold himself honestly accountable.

He cannot summon the character and the courage to hold himself accountable for denying due process to hundreds of whistle blower complaints.

He cannot summon the character and the courage to hand over the impartial investigation of felony criminal misconduct involving APS senior administrators; four years later and long after statutes of limitation have expired.

He cannot summon the character and courage to explain why there has not been, nor will there ever be, an impartial independent investigation of administrative and executive standards and accountability.

He cannot summon the character and the courage to allow me to stand up in a public forum in a school board meeting and ask him legitimate questions about the public interests and about his public service. He has ordered his Praetorian Guard to arrest me if I attempt to participate in another public forum. APS Police Chief Steve Tellez has signed his name on the illegal order.

Are standards like Pillars of Character Counts! too high?

That is a community position, mine is clear. Whatever the
standard is, leadership needs to show students what it looks
like to hold one's self honestly accountable to meaningful
standards of conduct and competence.

If we really want students to grow into adults that embrace
character and courage and honor, someone has to show
them what that kind of accountability looks like.

If there is any reason that a man will not engage in open and honest public discussion of students standards and role modeling, other than a lack of character and courage, I cannot imagine it, and in the fifteen years that I've been advocating Character Counts!, no one else has articulated it.

How can a man be a role model if he can't even say the words out loud?

I hold Kent Walz (dba the Journal) personally responsible for enabling Marty Esquivel to escape accountability for his betrayal of the public trust.




photo and frame grab Mark Bralley