The problem; whiny parents, jerky kids, and the media.

APS School Board Members Kathy Korte is a role model.
Sometimes, a not so good one. 

Fortunately for APS students, they probably won't read
read about her in the Journal today, link.

Korte; role modeling the Pillar of Respect for the photojournalist she battered

If we want children to grow into adults who embrace character, and courage, and honor, someone has to show them what it looks like.

Korte, instead, shows them what it looks like to be disrespectful; of the kid, the parents, of the standards of conduct she is supposed to be role modeling for administrators, of staff, of students and of the community.

APS School Board Policy requires, like it or not, that students model and promote the Pillars of Character Counts!, link.   The Pillars of Character Counts, like them or not, are the students standards of conduct.  Adults, read administrators and board members, are accountable to the law; the lowest standards of conduct that civilized people will abide.

The Pillars of Character Counts! represent a nationally recognized, accepted and respected code of ethical conduct.

As role models, adults have no choice but to show children what it looks like to hold yourself honestly accountable to higher standards of conduct than the law.  It is one thing to tell children a popular fable about George Washington and the cherry tree; its quite another thing to actually provide accountability by means of a system that guarantees due process.

Kathy Korte has neither the character nor the courage to hold herself honestly accountable as a role model of the Pillars of Character Counts!  Or she would.


When the board removed the role modeling clause from their own code of conduct, they provided "legal" cover for their abdication as role models.  The clause read;

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

In no case shall a student be told to treat people with respect, by an adult who will not show them what that looks like.

As a Character Counts! trainer, I was party to handing out t-shirts to students who had attended  CC! training.  On its front and back it read;

Stand up for what
you believe in ...

... even if you're 
standing alone.

The point; a child standing up for what they believe in, should actually be standing alone.  There should be an adult behind them offering encouragement, an adult beside them sharing the load, and an adult in front of them, showing them what it looks like; leading by their own personal example.

Korte said,

“I’m going to call people out  when
I think I need to call them out,”

Interestingly, a citizen who feels the same way and does so at the podium of a public forum, is subject to arrest for being "disrespectful" of board members or senior administrators.

Korte insisted that she knew who the kid was, a "royal pain in the rear".  She did not say that she actually knew the kid.  It doesn't sound like she's ever even laid eyes on him; no personal experience upon which to base her evaluation.  She does the same with adults.

Korte offers;

Parents who complain to the media are never members
of the PTA who have gotten involved or used the proper channels.

Korte fails to grasp that the Constitution that protects citizens' rights to petition their government for redress of their grievances, even if they haven't "served on the PTA, gotten involved, or used the proper channels".

If people don't use proper channels, it is because "proper channels" don't exist.  There is no place in the entire APS, where a citizen can file a complaint against an administrator or board member and where that complaint will see due process; impartial, competent investigation and adjudication.

Korte takes umbrage at suggestions that her recent trip to Indianapolis was a waste of money.  She says the experience offered valuable training and perspectives.  She did not offer a single example of either.  They never do.

How can they say; hey I learned that ...,
without someone asking, why, as a board member
or senior administrator, did you not already know that ...?

Korte's email was sent to an extensive list of constituents and community members.  It should be posted on their award winning website; for stakeholders who aren't on her list.

Korte said she isn’t concerned about political fallout.  Anyone who might be concerned about the example she is setting probably wouldn’t vote for her anyway.

One would hope.

I agree with her on one point; the media is the problem;
the Journal, KRQE, KOAT, and KOB.




photo Korte's facebook