KOAT lets Esquivel bash Gessing and invent numbers

KOAT aired a report on APS' spending per pupil, link.

The Rio Grande Foundation and their head, Paul Gessing published a report on per pupil spending, link, pointing to the fact that it has risen faster than inflation. And, despite the increased spending, results have not approved.

KOAT's lopsided coverage allowed School Board President Marty Esquivel to bash Gessing and the Rio Grande Foundation rather than expecting him to respond to even one specific allegation.

In response to inconvenient statistics, all Esquivel was able to do was call names and drag red herrings through the discussion. He called the Rio Grande Foundation a right wing organization with an agenda and an ax to grind, neither of which reflects on the accuracy of the data Gessing cites. Esquivel claimed RGF's numbers had no basis in fact, to which Gessing responded, they came from US Census Data.

Esquivel claimed RGF has no credibility. An interesting claim for a guy who is comfortable telling a bald faced lie, link.

That KOAT would air the one sided piece is not too surprising.

KOAT news director Sue Stephens has shown no interest in exposing Esquivel for his ongoing denial of due process rights to hundreds of APS whistle blowers.

Nor is she interested in investigating and reporting upon Esquivel's evasion of any real accountability as senior role model of the APS Student Standards of Conduct.

Nor will she have investigated and reported upon, the effort by Esquivel, Supt Winston Brooks, and Journal editor Kent Walz cover up of the Caswell Report (2007) on public corruption in the APS Police Department.




photo Mark Bralley