Journal editors can't see the forest for the tree; supposedly.

Journal editors are much exercised, link, that an elementary school principal can engage in public affray and suffer no greater consequence than writing a letter to her staff apologizing for embarrassing them.

Are they kidding?

The editors seem oblivious to some basic facts; oblivious or worse.

It begins with the title of their editorial;"APS Policy on Staff Behavior Lacks Teeth"

Ask a custodian, teaching assistant or teacher if policy has teeth.

Ask an honest administrator or board member the same question. They will tell you, consequences for incompetence and corruption in the leadership of the APS depend on who you know.

The Journal editors, let's just say Kent Walz, to put a face to them, would have us focus on the tree; this one administrator who has seemingly escaped the consequences of her misconduct. His outrage over the tree blocks the view of the forest of a lack of accountability in the leadership of the APS.

Where is his outrage that there is no due process in the standards and accountability that apply to administrators and board members?

Where is his outrage that an honest audit of executive and administrative standards and accountability is being blocked by the very people whose standards and accountability will be investigated.

Where is his outrage that APS' new Chief of Police is covering up felony criminal misconduct by APS senior administrators, link, and apparently is hiding as well, two recent EEOC complaints against two of the most senior members of the current police department leadership?

Where is his outrage over the suppression of the Caswell Report on the independent investigation into public corruption and incompetence in the APS Police Department? Oh yeah, he's part of the effort to suppress it.

Kent Walz is full of crap or corrupt.

Or both. Consider for example his question;

"After all, to whose office are misbehaving students sent for discipline?"

The question makes sense primarily in the context of role modeling. Where is his outrage that this same code of conduct was recently changed to strike language that held administrators and board members accountable to an actual higher standard of conduct? Where was his outrage when the leadership of the APS struck from their own standards; the role modeling clause; an actual and honest higher standard of conduct?

APS argues, through Walz et al, that the administrator "... is entitled to due process".

In truth, every employee is entitled to due process, not just administrators. The truth Walz is hiding is; there is no due process applying to complaints against administrators or board members. The proof is in Walz' face. School Board Policy promised executive review of administrative handling of whistleblower complaints against fellow administrators and board members, and reneged. They rewrote the policy; whistleblower complaints are no longer promised any review above the level of the administration. Walz feigns ignorance of the blatant appearance of a conflict of interests.

Walz whines on behalf of APS "leadership";

"..school employees cannot be fired on the basis of criminal charges unless the charges have a clear effect on job performance".

Conveniently, role modeling is no longer part of the "job" for senior administrators and board members. They abdicated from that role when they struck the role modeling clause from their own standards. Until they struck it, the clause required them to hold themselves honestly accountable to the same standards they establish and enforce upon students;

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

Walz says administrators should "... have anger management and judgment skills". Despite ample evidence that Walz' crony Winston Brooks lacks both, link, link, Walz is yet to report upon that genuine outrage.

Surprisingly, Walz' conclusion is spot on;

if APS is going to have a behavior policy for employees...
there should be some consequence(s), ..."

"Otherwise, rip out the pages. At least that would be honest."

He and I, could not agree more.



frame grab Mark Bralley