Journal Editors Strain at a Gnat and Swallow a Camel

To read them write it, link, the editors are much agitated over more tax dollars fattening the wallets of APS administrators.  So was I.  They are upset as well by the administrative junket 18 of them took at taxpayer expense.  So was I.

Straining on the gnat; Journal editors have taken a stand; draw the line on stupid spending.

There is a school board election coming up.  There is a bond issue election as well.  In deciding who to elect and whether to give them millions and millions of dollars to spend, we need to know that they will do it effectively and efficiently.

Past performance is an excellent predictor of future performance.

The leadership of the APS, the school board and senior administration, recently spent a whole lot of  our money refreshing their digs at 6400 Uptown Blvd.

Candid, forthright and honest accounting of spending, hidden from taxpayers.

The manner in which they spent tax dollars there, is a
good predictor of how they will spend tax dollars there.

Citizens have a Constitutionally protected human right to know how their trust and treasure have been spent.  The hiding of the accounting of the spending there, is ethically indefensible.

APS COO Brad Winter steadfastly refuses to surrender a candid, forthright and honest accounting of his spending the last time we trusted him with the money we give him to educate our children.


Did he really spend $800 a piece for board member chairs?
Is it alright with voter taxpayers if he does it again?

Will he refuse to provide candid, forthright and honest accounting of his spending of the money he wants us to entrust to him next February?


The editors admonish the board and senior administration to;

consider how it looks to the many at ground level —

and to the taxpayers who foot the bill.

A gnat, compared to how the ethics and accountability scandal cover up will look to voters, when, if, the establishment news ever gets around to investigating and reporting upon it.

• Denial of due process to whistleblower complaints.
• Cover up of felony criminal misconduct by senior APS administrators
• Universal abdication of role modeling responsibilities by the entire "leadership" of the APS
• A Praetorian Guard; publicly funded private police force

If voters are to hold school board members accountable for their conduct and competence, they must be candidly, forthrightly and honestly informed about that competence and character.  The onus rests upon the shoulders of editors and news directors.

It is they who are covering up the cover ups.

It is they who conspire to manipulate the outcome of the February elections.





photos Mark Bralley