Character Counts!; failure to launch

In 1994, the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education adopted standards of conduct for students; and by logical extension, for adults. They adopted the standards unanimously. The standards of conduct for students have not changed since;

Students are expected to model and promote
the Pillars of Character Counts!

This is not about Character Counts!, link, a nationally recognized, accepted and respected model for character education. The failure to launch character education in the Albuquerque Public Schools would include every other model for character education that required adults to hold themselves honestly accountable as role models; any model that required their honest accountability to the same standards of conduct they enforce upon students.

At one point, the standards of conduct that applied to the leadership of the APS had a role modeling clause. It read;

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

They removed the clause from their code of conduct,
rather than be held accountable to it in litigation against them.

The Pillars of Character Counts! play, not because they are the only standards, or even because they are the best. They play because they are the standards the Board specifically and expressly adopted and because they are currently cited in School Board Policy.

If the leadership of the APS wants to change the standards of conduct for students, then let's have that open and honest public discussion.

You may wonder why the leadership of the APS won't talk about student standards of conduct and their obligations as role models for students, of honest accountability to those standards.

They're willing to tell children that George Washington's example of holding one's self honestly accountable their conduct is worthy of emulation, but they're not willing to show kids what it looks like. Character and courage are taught by example; they are taught only by example.

Long ago, School Board Member David Robbins put the role modeling clause on the agenda in a policy committee meeting. David Peercy tabled it until it finally disappeared (in violation of Roberts Rules and School Board Policy).

Co-incidentally, Robbins turned his back on his commitment and obligation to fight to hold board members and administrators accountable as role models; not a peep.

Robbins is no longer willing to insist that the leadership hold themselves honestly accountable to the Pillars of Character Counts!; as reasonable standards of conduct for students and for them.

He has abandoned the Pillars of Respect, Responsibility and Trustworthiness as his personal standards as a Board Member and senior role model of APS Student Standards of Conduct. Now he embraces the manhandling of peaceful protesters calling him out on his public service, link.

In a conversation with School Board Member David Robbins, long ago, I ventured that there are only two reasons why the leadership of the APS won't hold themselves honestly accountable as role models of the Pillars of Character Counts!; a lack of courage and/or, a lack of character. He agreed.

If there is a third reason; any reason beside cowardice and corruption, that the leadership of the APS will not step up as role models of the Pillars of Character Counts!, I cannot imagine it, and no one, and I mean no one, in the leadership of the APS has suggested what it might be.

The proof; they will not communicate openly and honestly about executive and administrative standards of conduct, nor about their obligations as role models for students, staff and community.

Character Counts! failed to launch in the APS, because we couldn't find a single board member or administrator willing to hold themselves honestly accountable as a role model of accountability to the Pillars of Character Counts!, not even for the few hours a day they hold students accountable to them.

Not one.

Character counts, apparently, only for kids.




photo Mark Bralley