APS students standing alone

In the mid-1990s, then US Senator Pete Domenici delivered a $30K federal grant to the leadership of the APS. The money was to be used to begin training in earnest to help students establish and maintain their good character.

The APS school board had passed a resolution in support of the effort. Their resolution is still binding albeit it; ignored.

When some students finished training, they were given a t-shirt. On its front and back, the shirt read;

Stand up for what you believe in,
Even if you are standing alone.

At the time, we were encouraging them to "believe" that their good character was important and that it rides on their honest accountability to higher standards of conduct than the law.

Then the board changed its mind. They voted unanimously to remove a 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 child standing up for what they believe in should not be standing alone.

There should be an adult behind them offering encouragement and an adult beside them sharing the effort and an adult in front of them, leading by their example.

The board voted, knowingly, deliberately, unanimously, to leave students standing alone.

Every generation expects the next generation to be the first generation to hold itself honestly accountable to higher standards of conduct.  ...based on assurances that it is important and not on personal examples.

If we want children to grow into adults who embrace character and courage and honor, someone is going to have to show them what those look like. Someone has to encourage them, support them and lead them.

The APS board of education is about to hire another in a long line of superintendents willing to leave students standing alone in their effort to build and maintain their good character.

Stand up, speak up. Demand a superintendent who can show students what honest to God accountability to higher standards of conduct looks like.

Take APS’ online survey. link Demand a role model. You will have to write in your demand; they offer no box to check.

Show up at their superintendent search community meetings link.

Your silence gives consent. Plato