APS School Board Reneging on Solemn Promises

Following please find a resolution, read promises, made by the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education in 1994.

Though their resolution is a quarter of a century old, it is still binding.
Promises don’t have a shelf life.

The resolution has been neither amended nor rescinded. A motion to have the board reconsider the resolution in an open an honest public meeting has been tabled; forever.

A decade after resolving to be held honestly accountable as role models, one of several promises in the resolution, the board voted unanimously to strike the role modeling clause from their own standards of conduct. It had read;

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

A motion to replace the role modeling clause in the school board standards of conduct has been tabled without public discussion and forever by School Board President David Peercy. link

Their resolution reads;

Resolution

To endorse and Implement Character Counts! Program in the Albuquerque Public Schools

Whereas, Albuquerque Public Schools reaffirms the need to join with other community groups to actively engage in the development and demonstration of ethical behavior among youth, adults, and

Whereas, the mission of Albuquerque Public Schools is to provide learners of all ages the skills and knowledge needed to become successful and productive members of a dynamic society , and

Whereas, the Albuquerque Public Schools recognizes that students in our schools are more likely now than in the past to experience family disintegration, homicide, drug use, teen age pregnancy, dishonesty, suicide, and strong messages from media and society that undermine home teaching of ethical values, and

Whereas, the Albuquerque Public Schools recognizes that no single community institution can instill ethical behavior in youth and adults if it is acting without the support of other institutions and groups, and

Whereas, the Albuquerque Public Schools recognizes the important role played by teachers and other adults in school settings in modeling good character for young people

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED;

1. That the Albuquerque Public Schools endorses the Aspen Declaration on Character Education as well as the Character Counts! Program as ways to develop character based on six core ethical values; trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship;

2. That the Albuquerque Public Schools will enter into community-wide discussions with other institutions and groups to reach agreements about the role of each in promoting ethical behavior among young people, and adults in various aspects of life;

3. That the Albuquerque Public Schools is committed to creating models of ethical behavior among all adults who serve students and schools;

4. That the core curriculum should continue to give explicit attention to character development as an ongoing art of school instruction;

5. That materials, teaching methods, partnerships, and services to support school programs shall be selected, in part, for their capacity to support the development of character

6. That all schools examine school curriculum and practices to identify and extend opportunities for developing character, especially through the utilization of violence-prevention programs, mediation training, community service programs, fair rules which are fairly enforced, democratic practices in classrooms and organizations, and extracurricular activities which help students learn and model caring and ethical behavior.

DATED this 2nd day of March, 1994

The resolution amounts to six solemn promises.

They won't even talk about them in a public meeting.

They cannot or will not be candid, forthright and honest with stake and interest holders, even though they tell students that their character depends on their candor, forthrightness and honesty.

The next superintendent of the APS must be willing to serve as a role model of honest accountability to the same standards of conduct s/he will enforce upon students.

Even if the board won’t.

Especially if the board won’t.