Watch school board "due process"

Up on APS' award winning website; a link to the February 1st school board meeting. I have been told that I am not the only one who can't hear well, the audio on the board meeting video. This wouldn't be the first time the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of recording equipment and dual operators taxpayers have provided, have failed to provide the record we deserve.

At 37:00, James "Robbie" Robertson stepped up to the podium during Public Forum and petitioned the school board for redress of his grievance; the school board is denying due process to a legitimate petition carrying a hundred signatures in addition to his own.

At 39:05, retired Federal Magistrate Judge David Walker stepped up to the podium and petitioned the school board for redress of his grievance; the school board is denying due process to a legitimate petition carrying a hundred signatures in addition to his own.

Continue to watch, and you will see a teenaged girl step up to the podium and petition for redress of her grievance; administrative inconsistency, disrespect and inappropriate role modeling.

Six of the eight APS leaders on the dais ignored the petitions by the two gentlemen entirely. A couple more spoke to the courage and carriage demonstrated by the teenaged petitioner.

Board Member Kathy Korte was the first board member to speak to the Citizens Advisory Council on Communication petition. She begins at 54:35.

The long and the short of it is; Korte will obstruct the creation of a venue for open and honest communication between the leadership of the APS and the community members they serve.

It is her opinion; the avenue for community members to take in involving themselves in schools, is to go "volunteer" in schools. And if they have other interests, like improving communication, they must "first" pay some dues by working in a school. How many hours must one volunteer in a school for each question they would like answered? Will it vary by the question? How many hours must one volunteer to get an answer to a question like; Why are you hiding the Caswell Report and the criminal investigation of felony criminal misconduct in the leadership of the APS police force?

Board Member David Robbins begins speaking at 1:07:15. Though he finally conceded the need for due process for the petition, he spent a lot of time beating around the bush. His support is less than rock solid and I wouldn't be surprised to see it crumble.

Noteworthy; in response to the petition of the teenager; he suggested violating school board policy by having her submit her complaint to the school board rather than directly to the administration.

Ironically, in doing so, Robbins promised her exactly the same executive oversight over the handling of her complaint against administrators, that he is denying to more than 300 other whistleblower complaints against administrators.

He also suggested that rather than expecting school board members to answer legitimate questions during school board meetings, petitioners and the like should invite board members to speak outside of board meetings; where they will respond to questions about the petition.

He promises something that doesn't exist, never has, and
likely never will; board members and senior administrators
willing to respond candidly, forthrightly and honestly to
legitimate questions about the public interests and about
their public service; in public and on the record.

If you are among those who believe in open and honest
communication the people and their public servants,
your next opportunity to stand up in support of that end,
to stand up for what you believe in for two minutes,
is less than a week away; February 15, 2012.

I would be there, but I'm still locked out according to an unlawful restraining order by School Board enforcer Marty Esquivel, School Board President Paula Maes, and APS Police Chief Steve Tellez, enforced by the publicly funded private police force they command.




photos Mark Bralley