Audit Armenta

Governor Susana Martinez seems convinced that APS is wasting money. APS' Communications Department is her whipping boy; nearly a half million dollars spent outside the classroom (reduced recently by moving three Department members to a different Department, with no net savings to taxpayers).

Top "earner" in the Communications Department is its Executive Director Monica Armenta. Clearly on the defensive, she and APS Supt Winston Brooks would like interest holders to compare APS communications department with departments in other school systems. There is really no reason to make that comparison as different school districts really are as dissimilar as apples and oranges.

Even then, there is no way to know if the comparison districts are equally bloated with too many administrators making too much money.

The answer is to audit the APS' Communications Department. Hire independent investigators to examine Armenta's fiefdom for efficiency and effectiveness. Are dollars spent in the Communications Department spent in the interests of students?

The auditors will examine efforts like Armenta's world-class calendar. She admitted in a public meeting that the calendar is her "biggest project". If you look at one of the calendars you will find a slick production- but does it move even one student even one step closer to graduation? The answer is no. It's purpose is to make the APS look better than they are.

Despite the fact that Armenta makes nearly $107K a year to "communicate" with interest holders, there is little evidence of her efforts. Currently she is refusing to respond to legitimate questions about the public interests in the APS. She claims to be too busy. She is too busy to communicate the district's position on

• denying due process to whistle blower complaints,
• the cover up of felony criminal misconduct in the APS Police Department,
• the abdication of all of the district's senior-most role models, and
• the administration's steadfast opposition to independent administrative audits.

If Armenta could make a wish, wouldn't she wish for an independent audit whose findings were that she was spending tax dollars frugally and effectively? If she is as hard working and effective as she would have us believe, why wouldn't she welcome an audit?

The same question can be asked of APS Supt Winston Brooks. If his administration is as effective and efficient as he would have us believe, why doesn't he welcome an audit that would substantiate his claim?

The truth is, every audit of administrative standards and accountability in the leadership of the APS, has revealed inadequate standards, inadequate accountability and inadequate record keeping; the three part recipe that enables public corruption and incompetence.

They are obstructing impartial audits because they know
they will be damned by the findings.




photo Mark Bralley