At one point, APS Administrators were accountable to a code of ethics; like students are still.

A principal lied to the president of the student body about an issue before the student council. When I attempted to hold him accountable for ethical misconduct, I found out that APS does not provide for the principled resolution of complaints against administrators. Instead of a prinicipal being held honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct; I was chastised for minding someone else’s business. According to a senior APS Administrator, “…it doesn’t hurt a kid when their principal lies to them.”

Accountability counts.

I once tried to secure public records. I was investigating an allegation that fire drill records had been falsified. It had been reported that a principal,in order to escape accountability for violating state statutes, board policies, and fire code, had deliberately falsified fire drill records; criminal misconduct.

When I asked a senior APS Administrator to surrender copies of the submitted fire drill reports, he refused.

There is a state law that allows me to ask for a public record, and if it is immediately available (it was) it is to be surrendered. It wasn’t.

I called the APS Police (Praetorian Guard) and asked them to seize and protect the evidence. They refused and ordered me to leave; which I did. In a police report (subject to perjury laws) the senior administrator swore, that in an effort to intimidate him, I had slammed my hand on his desk. In a sworn statement during an arbitration hearing, he swore that I slammed a portfolio down on his desk with such violence that “…papers flew everywhere”.

I will swear under polygraph examination that neither is the truth.

At best, one is the truth; the other is a lie, perjury, a fourth degree felony.

He was not held accountable for his misconduct.

He was not held accountable criminally because a settlement agreement was reached. Public funds were exchanged for his immunity from criminal prosecution. …and also for immunity for other senior administrators and board members.

The proof of these allegations is among public records that the District controls. Under law they are required to surrender public records upon demand.

Expect to pay for each page, fifty cents, plus whatever it costs you to fight for the records in court, against Modrall, for years.

Perhaps it is legal to use unwitting taxpayer support for “education” to allow senior administrators and board members to escape the consequences of their misconduct. But it isn’t ethical.

I believe that taxpayers would feel betrayed. …if they knew.

These people rewrote the code of conduct that applied to them. They took out the part that read,

“…in no case shall the standard for adults be lower than the standard for students…”

The student standard by the way, the one, upon which we tell children their character rests, is; honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

There is no good reason to except APS Leadership from honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

There is less reason to allow them to except themselves.

Without explanation or defense, they are simply, unaccountable. And like the school yard bully they want only to know, "So whadaya gonna do about it?"

Their position is indefensible. The only defense of an indefensible position is to hide it. What position on this issue must be hidden?

As public servants, and as stewards of the public trust and treasure, and as the senior role models for 98,000 of our sons and daughters; will you hold yourself honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct?

Stakeholders; you will have to stand up in order to hear an answer.

The Albuquerque Journal continues the betrayal of stakeholder trust.

There is an election less than three months away. City voters will vote to appropriate another 138 million dollars to APS. They will also elect three of the seven people who will spend that money. In 12 column inches of a report on that election, the Journal’s coverage of the board member election rated not one word.

Why is the board member election a secret? It is a secret because any discussion around candidates will reveal that the Journal, and the Tribune, are covering up an ethics scandal. They have covered it up through two elections, and apparently they intend to cover it up through a third.

If this all sounds incredible, consider that reporters will witness first hand, at tonight’s board meeting, the board’s ninth refusal to be held accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct. And for the ninth time, their refusal will not be reported.

To excuse the Journal and Tribune of what appears to be a betrayal of the trust and interests of voters, all one has to do is imagine an ethical justification for their failure to report that the board is honestly accountable to no standard at all, not even the law.

No ethical justification exists. If you think that one does, post it. Let's see what scrutiny that justification can bear.

Footnote; The Journal's Thursday morning coverage of the board meeting did not, in fact, include coverage of the Leadership's ninth refusal to be held honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct.

Decisive battle? It’s up to you.

As:
• the senior role models for 98,000 of our sons and daughters;
• And as stewards of hundreds of millions of tax dollars;
• And as public servants; who are required as an essential term of their in-servitude, to subject themselves to honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

The leadership of the Albuquerque Public Schools must hold themselves honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct.

Accountability to a standard requires; a standard and a system that provides for accountability to that standard.

A meaningful standard will be of carefully chosen words that represent the principle. The words will be chosen by the public; not by the public servant

Honest accountability means that, on the one side you have lawyers who will pervert words like honor, and courage, and character in order to allow their clients to escape the consequences of misconduct. On the other side you have the lawyers who represent the people; and who will create a system that provides accountability as defined by public interests. They will be the people’s champions.

And we will do battle. And we will defend the line that separates us. And we will no longer equivocate around “honest accountability”.

Let us not forget that each of us is a role model. And if as a role model we cannot model perfection; we must at the very least, model accountability for our imperfections.

A principle without a defense, a principle without people who will make sacrifices in its defense; means nothing. It serves no function. All principles great and mean, are equally worthless. …if no one will defend them. Talk, great or mean, is just talk. It is never anything more than talk.

Some people will stand up for what they believe in; some will not.

Like exactly every other issue, you come to a fork in the road. You can travel the path to talk is cheap. Or you can take the path to do something.

If enough people are willing to do something, anything can be done. … if you have enough people. … actually willing to do something.

Like Stonehenge.

What could be a decisive battle takes place in less than two days.

The window will open at 4:59 pm, Wednesday afternoon. The window will close about ten minutes later.

If you were there, you were there. If you weren’t, you weren’t; and it doesn’t matter why.

If you can’t go, you can email someone; or everyone. Out of town stakeholders have dues just like the locals whose principles are under attack.

There is really only one proof of commitment to a principle; willing sacrifice in defense of the principle.

Or, honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

I'm calling you out!

Senator Pete Domenici, Mayor Marty Chavez, City Councilors, APS Administrators, Character Counts Leadership Council, Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, Character Counts advocates,Albuquerque Teachers Federation, Parents, Students,bloggers,readers, ...stakeholders.


If we really want our children to hold themselves honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct,

We, ourselves, must be an example of honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

Talk is cheap. Walk your talk at the School Board Meeting this Wednesday night.

Out of town stakeholders; email the local media, demand coverage
Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque Tribune, KOB TV, KOAT TV, KRQE TV, KKOB AM

I’m not saying that these people are evil.

But when Edmond Burke wrote, “all that is necessary for evil to prevail in the world is, for good men to do nothing”; he was writing about this.

I am an unworthy messenger

This is about the message, it is not about the messenger.

The message

If we really expect our children to hold themselves honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct; someone has to show them what that looks like.

We walk our talk only by deliberately placing ourselves in a situation where we will be held honestly accountable for our conduct; even against our will.



The messenger

I am in some respects an unworthy messenger.

Except that; in my public service as a member of the school board; I am willing to hold myself honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct; the Pillars of Character Counts; the current student standard of conduct.

I will submit my resignation simultaneous with my first failure to hold myself honestly accountable to that standard.

As for myself, I will neither solicit nor accept any endorsement, except of the message.

My personal worthiness as a member of the school board is the sole prerogative of the voters who will either accept or reject me as their representative.


I am offering an opportunity to stand up against the corruption and incompetence in public service. I am offering an opportunity to begin that crusade by eliminating the corruption and incompetence in the Albuquerque Public Schools.

Honest accountability is fatal to corruption and incompetence. absolutely.

I seek to eliminate the corruption and incompetence in the Albuquerque Public Schools by compelling the Leadership of the Albuquerque Public Schools to hold themselves honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct.


I have talked the talk; I will walk the walk.

I invite your encouragement, your help, and the opportunity to answer any question that you ask. On my honor and on the record.

the essence of inhumanity is indifference

The Genovese syndrome; also known as the bystander effect, or bystander apathy

The stink of it is; in New York City, in 1964, Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death by a serial rapist and murderer. The murder took place over a period of about thirty minutes, during which dozens of alleged "witnesses" failed to help the victim.

The parallel is that “dozens of witnesses” are watching honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct, being stabbed to death by APS Leaders, and are failing to help the victim.

As you can imagine, this phenomenon weighs heavily on me. I researched the Genovese syndrome in an effort to understand, why?

The first thing I found out is that individual bystanders are less likely to intervene if there are other bystanders.

According to the Wikipedia;”…the most common explanation of this phenomenon is that, with others present, observers all assume that someone else is going to intervene and so they each individually refrain from doing so. This is an example of how diffusion of responsibility leads to social loafing. People may also assume that other bystanders may be more qualified to help, such as being a doctor or police officer, and their intervention would thus be unneeded. People may also fear "losing face" in front of the other bystanders, being superseded by a "superior" helper, or offering unwanted assistance. Another explanation is that bystanders monitor the reactions of other people in an emergency situation to see if others think that it is necessary to intervene. Since others are doing exactly the same, everyone concludes from the inaction of others that other people do not think that help is needed. This is an example of pluralistic ignorance and social proof.”

“Furthermore, pluralistic ignorance is countered by the implication that all bystanders are indeed interested in helping, and social proof kicks in when one or more of the crowd steps in to assist.”

Or, Somebody should do something. If one person can summon the courage to intervene, they will be joined by others.

Is there an emergency? The concept of emergency is subjective, my emergency is not yours, and vice versa. Perhaps the question is not, is there an emergency, but, is there a problem worthy of investment in a solution?

The Josephson Institute does a survey of American Youth every two years. The survey and results appear to be reputable. The Institute’s website is the first source should you want to verify my summary.

The results indicate that among our sons and daughters; three of five agreed that, “In the real world, successful people do what they have to do to win, even if others consider it cheating”. Two of five believe that “A person has to lie or cheat sometimes in order to succeed”. One in five believes that “People who are willing to lie, cheat or break the rules are more likely to succeed than people who do not”. Four of five admit they lied to parent within the past 12 months about something significant.” Three of five admit they lied to teacher within the past 12 months about something significant”; one in three said they lied two or more times.”

One in three copied an internet document within the past 12 months; one in five did so two or more times. Three in five cheated during a test at school within the past 12 months; one in three did so two or more times. One in five stole something from a parent or other relative within the past 12 months; one in ten did so two or more times.

If this is not an emergency, perhaps we can agree that there is a problem whose solution is worthy of investment.

In 1998, the local CHARACTER COUNTS! task force surveyed parents in Albuquerque. Among the results; 94 percent agreed that "it is important to teach character education in the public schools."

Character education is not being taught in pubic schools whose leadership openly refuses to be held accountable to the same standard of conduct that they are telling students deserves their honest accountability.

I find myself very discouraged by the lack of attention that I am able to draw to what I think is an important problem. I really believe that the best interests of children are among the stakes on the table. I believe that there is an emergency.

It appears to me that my readers are comfortable sitting on the fence. No one will argue that the truth is misrepresented; yet no one is compelled by the truth to abandon their seat on the fence. In order to stand on my side of the fence you are required to help to spread the word, and at some point you will be asked to stand up for what you believe in. You will be required to speak up (at least symbolically) at the next board meeting, even if it is only by email.

This is about the message; it is not about the messenger.

For my part, I am not asking you to support me as a messenger; or in any other capacity. I will do that only once; when I ask you to vote for me as a candidate for the board seat representing School Board District 4.

In the mean time, I am asking only for your support of the principle. At the next public forum, I will ask the Board and Superintendent to respond to their lack of accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

If at that moment, you stand up; I will neither assume nor represent that by standing you offer support to me. By standing you will represent only that you too expect the Leadership of the APS to tell the truth about their honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

It would seem that I am the only one who cares. I suffer certainly; but so do the students in the Albuquerque Public Schools. That’s why I can’t just give up.

“The essence of inhumanity is indifference.” unk

Honest accountability to an ethical standard of conduct – What difference does it make?

Take for example; truth telling. According to the standard of least acceptable conduct; the law, you only have to tell the truth after having uncrossed your fingers behind your back.

At all other times, particularly if you are powerful, your fingers are tightly crossed behind your back and you have entirely justified deliberate deception.

In contrast, if you are accountable to a higher standard of conduct, like the one we have asked our children to embrace, then fingers don’t get crossed, ever.

The trustworthiness we expect from our children is diametrically opposite to any deception that can be justified by crossing your fingers behind your back. If we shake hands with our other hand behind our backs, our children will learn to do the same.

Every child needs to know what the line is. Every child needs to know that anyone who crosses that line must hold themselves accountable, even the role model. Otherwise the child is taught that it is acceptable, after having crossed the line, to then compound that misconduct by trying to escape the consequences.

It is not about being perfect. It is about being willing to accept the consequences of being imperfect.

It is about drawing a line. On one side of that line, a list of acceptable imperfections; and on the other, a list of unacceptable imperfections. It is about accepting the consequences of crossing the line.

If that can be done while a child is watching, then a child can be taught what it looks like to accept the consequences of misconduct.

Every generation expects the next generation to be the first to hold itself accountable to a higher standard of conduct. Invariably the next generation will hold itself accountable only to the standard modeled before them. Children, by in large, will not hold themselves accountable to a higher standard of conduct than the one modeled by their mentor.

We tell our children about George Washington and the cherry tree. We tell the story to illustrate our expectation that they will grow up holding themselves accountable to a higher standard of conduct.

If asked, we will say that we are models of a higher standard. We are leading by our example. We are expecting no more from those we lead, than we expect from ourselves.

Yet we teach them by our example, that the accouterments of power include exception from accountability; absolutely.

If the next generation is to grow up to embrace honor and courage and character; someone has to show them what it looks like.

If we want the next generation to hold it self honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct; someone has to show them what it looks like.

There is only one way to model honest accountability, and that is to hold yourself honestly accountable; willingly enter a situation where you will be held honestly accountable for your misconduct; even against your will.

Assume that you say that you support speed limits. Imagine that the ballot question before you asks; will you support installing what ever measures are necessary to insure inescapable accountability to an unequivocal standard with respect to speeding?

In other words; will you hold yourself honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct?

If you vote yes, you have walked your talk. The child who watches you will learn that principles are worthy of sacrifice.

It is not about being perfect. It is about being accountable.

I need two hundred people, who are willing to stand up for what they believe in, for two minutes.

Diogenes searched for years for one honest man. My task is to find but two hundred; two hundred men, women and children who are willing to stand up for two minutes while the following question is put to the Leadership of the Albuquerque Public Schools;

As Board Members and Senior Administrators; to what standard of conduct are you willing to be held honestly accountable?

By honest accountability it is meant: inescapable accountability to an unequivocal standard. It means accountability in the manner in which we want our children to understand it.

Are you willing to be held accountable to the standard to which 89,000 of our sons and daughters are accountable?

The Leaders of the APS must identify the standard to which they are accountable. They must present tp scrutiny, the process by which all allegations of their misconduct will see a principled resolution. By principled resolution it is meant; universally available, beyond undue influence, fair and impartial, and consistent with agreed upon principles of acceptable conduct, such as a code of ethical conduct.

It would seem to be a question that reasonably requires a response from any person who enjoys the public trust; in particular educational leadership.

To what standard of conduct will you be honestly accountable?

There is a counter at the bottom of this blog page. On the day that people visit this blog at the rate of 200 per day; I will attempt to organize a rally of those 200 people. We will stand together to respectfully deliver the question each member of the Board, the Superintendent, or their designee. We will hope that we have gathered in a number large enough to compel a reponse.

If a large enough crowd of people gather in one place to ask the question; the media will be compelled to cover the story. At that point every stakeholder in the District will have the opportunity to decide for themselves whether or not to protest the APS Leadership’s response to a legitimate question, stonewall. Stonewalling is not telling the truth.

This endeavor will not be supported by the media. I am compelled to toss it into the blogosphere and see what happens. They made a difference in Connecticut.

Please spread the word on Diogenes’six. Email friends, relatives, any stakeholder whose address you know. This can be done.

When it looks like we have the attention of 200 people, we will attempt to hold the Leadership of the APS honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct.

If we fail, we will have to do it again, and again if necessary; until the terms of public service, as defined by the public, are clearly defined.

I look forward to comments or questions.

So whadaya gonna do about it?

The little kid points out that the school yard bully is cheating. The bully asks, so whadaya gonna do about it? And the pretty much ends it.

Republican precincts get shorted ballots. So whadaya gonna do about it? The county clerk singly most responsible for the mistake, a manifestation of incompetence or corruption, will be promoted. She will enjoy a larger salary for a position in charge of even larger and more important elections. So much for accountability by voter.

Having disproved the illusion of accountability by voter; we are left with no accountability at all.

What ever has happened will happen again, and again, and again. Democrats will do it, Republicans will do it, Greens will do it, …

The problem isn’t the party, it is the system.

The system allows incompetence and corruption because it provides no honest accountability even for the most egregious misconduct.

Accountability is fatal to incompetence and corruption. It is not provided because accountability is not in the interests of those whose political existence depends upon a lack of accountability.

The first step to righting that which is wrong with public service, is to provide honest accountability for public servants; even against their will.

We can begin with the Albuquerque School Board, whose position against honest accountability is utterly indefensible. They are defended only by the Albuquerque Journal and Tribune, who together help to keep their dirty little secret.

Let’s hold them honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct; even against their will.

Albuquerque Public Schools; Smart Discipline?

In an Albuquerque Journal article entitled, Smart Discipline; an entirely superficial examination is afforded to the District’s response to discipline problems.

A deeper examination would have revealed that discipline problems in the District stem APS’ lack of a discipline philosophy. Philosophy is the connection between a goal and the policy that enables the goal to be achieved. It is the answer to a student’s question, Why not? The absence of a well thought out and grounded discipline philosophy is telling. It could not be more important.

For example; APS routinely permits prohibited behavior on schools campuses. Students who are told that sagging is prohibited; are allowed to sag habitually; in plain sight and in diametric opposition to District Policy.

Sagging, wearing pants so low as to expose underwear, is not the issue. Allowing students to ignore rules is the issue. Allowing students to take charge in school is the issue. Permitting prohibited behavior is the issue.

For the sake of discussion, let’s suppose that the goal is to provide an educationally efficient environment; an environment where teachers can teach and students can learn without distraction. APS’ response was to create a policy to prohibit sagging. They skipped the step of identifying the philosophical statement that connects sagging and the educational efficiency of the teaching and learning environment. That is why they ended up a policy that doesn't work. If the philosophy is that sagging does negatively affect the environment, then why is it permitted? If the philosophy is that sagging doesn’t affect the learning environment, then why is it prohibited?

One of the most basic philosophical statements with regard to effective discipline policy is that, if you have a rule, you should enforce it. Admittedly, it can be argued that enforcing a rule can cost more than the enforcement is worth. In effect, “Yes, sagging does negatively affect the environment, but not as negatively as fighting with kids all day long about their dress.” It is a legitimate point of view. The appropriate course is determined during the identification of a District discipline philosophy. And then based on the philosophy, one either prohibits sagging and enforces the rule, or one allows sagging and moves on to other issues. In no case is it appropriate to accustom children to routinely ignoring rules; a position without philosophical foundation and with far reaching negative consequences.

The second page headline reads; Discipline options smarten up suspensions. In practice, options are used by many administrators to make their own lives easier. If a principal wants to discipline a student with bellicose and powerful parents, the least harsh option is chosen. If the student is obnoxious and has disinterested parents, the harsher option is chosen. The disparate treatment does not escape the attention of either student. Nor does it escape the attention of other students.

Consider the following quote from the article; “At Valley, administrators use community service as a form of discipline. So a student busted for vandalizing the campus might be required to do something to beautify the school. Of course, it’s always on an individual case basis.”

In so far as students are concerned, "On an individual case basis" means only differential treatment, an unfair system unworthy of their respect or allegiance.

“On an individual case basis” is APS speak for permission to choose the consequence which creates the fewest waves. The Board of Education used that exact phrase when creating their policy for dealing with administrators who for instance, are charged with aggravated drunk driving. “On an individual case basis”, allows a favored administrator to escape consequences.

There is another telling quote in the article. “A lot of times, a kid is having a rotten day.” It represents a discipline philosophy that begins with making excuses for a child’s misconduct in order to trivialize the situation. Is this a philosophy that reflects the views of teachers, parents, or students? No, it isn’t. It is an unexamined administrative philosophy that allows administrators to avoid the nastiness of having to enforce the rules by imposing unpleasant consequences.

There are two ways that one can avoid honest accountability for their conduct; one is to muddy the expectations, the other is to corrupt the system by which one is held accountable.

The decision not to write a District discipline philosophy is deliberate. If there is no philosophy against which to measure conduct; conduct cannot be criticized; or, muddied expectations. They function beside the administrative immunity that is provided by the District’s failure to provide a system under which allegations of Administrative misconduct will receive a principled resolution. A principled resolution of a complaint is impartial, beyond undue influence, universally available, and consistent with agreed upon principles.

The simple truth is that the Leadership of the APS cannot provide discipline policies that guarantee an educationally efficient environment for students and teachers. They cannot because in large part, they will not accept honest accountability for themselves. They are not honestly accountable even to the standard that they established for and enforce upon students. They have refused publicly and repeatedly to hold themselves accountable to any meaningful standard of conduct.

Is it any surprise then, that many students make the same choice?

APS Board of Education; a model of clean government-

It isn’t of course, but it could be.

It stands to reason that the larger a government body is, the harder it will be to make substantial change. It stands to reason then that a small government body, a seven member elected school board, is the logical place to start a reform effort. The seven member board is the Achilles heel of governmental bodies that tolerate corruption and incompetence. A change there could well be the beginning of change everywhere.

Corruption and incompetence are the cause of almost every “bad” thing that a government does; wasted money, ineffective efforts, and every decision that serves private interests over public interests.

Accountability is fatal to corruption and incompetence.

To the extent that corruption and incompetence exist, it is because there is no accountability. Socrates is widely credited with observing that, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Consider for a moment that it is not power, but the lack of accountability for the abuse of power which corrupts, absolutely.

If any public servant who abuses the power entrusted to them is held accountable, honestly and absolutely accountable for that abuse, how could it continue? It can’t.

Instead of accountability, people are offered an assurance; you can trust me. Trust is a poor substitute for accountability. How else can it be explained that government still suffers widely from the effects of corruption and incompetence? Even after all of the years of opportunity to eliminate corruption and incompetence.

Transparency is an excellent example of a concrete step toward accountability. Yet transparency does not exist. Those who we have trusted to protect our interests have yet to provide a level of transparency that provides protection against the ravages of corruption and incompetence. It is naïve to expect that they will. You cannot expect a wo/man to eliminate corruption and incompetence when their political being depends on their existence.

All that is necessary to provide for honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct in the Albuquerque Public Schools is to remove the current board and elect in their place seven men and women who are willing, in their public service, to be held accountable, honestly accountable.

The current Board, Paula Maes, Leonard DeLayo, Robert Lucero, Berna Facio, Miguel Acosta, Gordon Rowe, and Mary Lee Martin, has individually and collectively renounced honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct. It is on the record.

DeLayo, Acosta, and Lucero’s board seats are up for election in February 2007. They need to be replaced by three individuals who in their role as public servants, as role models for 98,ooo school children, and as stewards of hundreds of millions of tax dollars, are willing to be held accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct.

Someone needs to run against them. It would seem that anyone willing to stand for accountability would be a shoe in.

Any takers?

Character Counts: a vehicle for fraud.

Proof? …just ask any of its advocates to take some lumps in its defense.

At some point you have to hold yourself accountable to the standard you promote. If you don’t, you are a hypocrite, a charlatan, a fraud.

The leadership of the Albuquerque Public Schools requires students to model and promote the Pillars of Character Counts. Students are expected to hold themselves accountable to a higher standard of conduct (than the law; the lowest standard of (acceptable) conduct). It is the principle we illustrate when we tell children the story of George Washington and the cherry tree. We expect children to revere George Washington as a hero worthy of emulation because he had the moral courage to hold himself accountable to a higher standard of conduct.

The Leadership of the APS has renounced the same higher standard for themselves. For reasons that they will not admit, reasons that enjoy no ethical justification, they have refused to hold themselves honestly accountable to the Pillars of Character Counts. They will not model before students, the behavior that they expect from students. They have renounced their obligations as role models for 6,000 employees and 98,000 students.

They have escaped the consequences of their decision largely because the Albuquerque Journal and Tribune refuse to investigate or report upon their actions, even through two elections.

The situation would be resolved by public exposure. Because the Journal and Tribune won’t report the truth, a number of persons who cast a longer shadow than I, have been asked to use their influence to illuminate the situation. They have refused. They are apparently unwilling to take some lumps in defense of Character Counts.

Among those who know of the APS ethics scandal and who refuse to stand and be counted are:
• Michael Josephson, the founder of Character Counts.
• Senator Pete Domenici, among those who helped to write the six pillars of character.
• Mayor Martin Chavez, who when he gets the chance, calls himself a founding influence of Character Counts in Albuquerque.
• Albuquerque’s City Councilors, who have failed to protect the interests of their constituents.
• The Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, in the person of Teri Cole, who wears a Character Counts badge.
• Every Church Leader whose email address I could find in a long evening of searching for help.
• The Albuquerque Teachers Federation, who under Don Whatley, brought Character Counts to APS.

When push comes to shove, no one will stand up and be counted. I can’t tell you why; I don’t understand why.

Perhaps it is as simple as the fact that you can’t stand up for Character Counts without being willing to be held honestly accountable to the Pillars of Character Counts yourself. Perhaps it is as simple as the fact that these people are simply frauds; they will advocate for Character Counts for as long as it serves their interests. But when it comes right down to it, …?

Every generation expects the next generation to be the first to hold itself honestly accountable to a higher standard of conduct. Every next generation has then fallen short of that expectation. They have however, managed to live up to the example that has been set for them.

If we really want our children to embrace character and honor and courage; I mean REALLY want them to embrace character and honor and courage; someone has to show them what it looks like.

People are fond of saying “Somebody should do something!” Apparently what they really mean is “Somebody ELSE should do something.” And that is why things are getting worse rather than better.

“…in no case shall the standard for adults be lower than the standard for students…”

That phrase and expectation used to be part of the APS employee standards of conduct. It is a powerful premise. It recognizes the inherent power in leading by example. It recognizes the obligation of role models. It justified morally, the authority of adults over children.

When the Leadership of the APS lowered the standard to which they would be held accountable, they did so be removing that phrase from their code of conduct. No longer would they be held accountable to the student standard of conduct; the Pillars of Character Counts; a widely recognized, accepted and respected code of ethical conduct.

They removed that expectation for only one reason. There is only one reason to oppose honest accountability; to avoid the consequences of misconduct.

A number of board members and senior administrators are the subjects of legitimate allegations of ethical and criminal misconduct, including felony criminal misconduct. Using taxpayer support of “education”, they paid lawyers to manipulate the law to escape the principled resolution of those allegations. They are not accountable even to the law, the lowest standard of acceptable conduct.

Were they accountable to an ethical standard of conduct, they would not be able to pervert justice to their interests. That is why they are fighting so hard to escape honest accountability to the student standard of conduct; an ethical standard.

They are like the school yard bully telling their victim, "So what, what are you going to do about it?" They are so powerful that they cannot be held accountable for their misconduct; unless they can be held accountable to an ethical standard. In a court of “ethics”, their power cannot be used to escape accountability. There will be a principled resolution of the allegations made against them.

But they will not be held accountable to an ethical standard; not as the role models for 98,000 of our sons and daughters, and not as the stewards of hundreds of millions of tax dollars. Because you can’t make them.

There is no other reason to do what they are doing. If there is another reason what is it? Why won’t they answer the question, “Will you hold yourself accountable, honestly accountable, to the same standard of conduct as students?

There is only one reason to oppose honest accountability and that is to avoid the consequences of misconduct. There is no defense of their action unless there is some other legitimate, and ethical, explanation for their refusal to be held accountable to a higher standard of conduct.

“All that is necessary for evil to prevail in the world, is for good men to do nothing.” Burke

They will prevail unless people stand up for what they believe in. They will prevail if YOU do nothing.

Character Counts Leadership Council has been betrayed

(This is a repost of a September post. I have since found out that members of the council have not been informed about the APS ethics scandal.)

By way of background; Character Counts represents a widely recognized, accepted and respected code of ethics. It is the standard to which students in APS are held accountable. In my opinion, it is by far the most promising approach to children who we hope will come to embrace character and courage and honor.

It is also a network of organizations from locals to a national site. It is worth a google.

• The Character Counts Leadership Council is the local.
• There is also a Character Counts Office in APS; headed by one Carole Smith.
• Paula Maes, the School Board President, is also the President of the Leadership Council.
• As it pertains to (the lack of) attention by the media, Paula Maes is the President of the New Mexico Broadcasters Association.
• Paula Maes husband is the President of APS’s legal arm; the Modrall Law Firm.

As part of my strategy to address the APS Ethics Scandal, I have been trying to get people of gravitas to stand up and be counted in opposition to the efforts of the Leaders of APS.


I have tried to approach the Character Counts Leadership Council. It is difficult because the APS site where their contact information would be proudly displayed; displays only a bankrupt excuse for its absence.

I believe that APS Leaders have violated the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, in their failure to provide contact information for the members of the Council. They have also failed to provide information to contact administrators; and teachers, and students, and their parents.

There are several people who know that I want to tell the Council the truth. And they sit on the Council. What have they shared with the Council? Do Council members know that their President, Paula Maes, refuses to be held honestly accountable to the Pillars of Character Counts? Do they know that APS Leaders have all excepted themselves from accountability to the Pillars of Character Counts?

That they know; is important. Character Counts recognizes the stakeholder right to autonomous decision making. They have a right to the truth. They have a right to decide for themselves whether they will ignore the APS Ethics Scandal, or will they stand up and be counted? They are being denied the right to make that decision by those who are suppressing the truth.

According to Character Counts doctrine:

In relationships involving legitimate expectations of trust, honesty may also require candor, forthrightness and frankness, imposing the obligation to volunteer information that another person needs to know.

It would seem that council members, who know the truth, have some obligation to tell it.

Unless of course, there is no legitimate expectation of trust.

Sincerity: if you can fake that, you've got it made. Daniel Schorr

There is something especially obnoxious about betraying trust among people who place such high value upon it.

Their names are Paula Maes, Carole Smith, Toby Herrera, Dee Dee Stoud, and Lisa Breeden. In an odd irony, Lisa Breeden works for one of the founding fathers of Character Counts, Senator Pete Domenici.

My record at APS

And so it begins. If you read the comments on the following post, “APS Leadership disgraces itself yet again”, you will find a post from “anonymous” (of course), who suggests that I had behaved “inappropriately” with students when I was a teacher.

There is a record of my career as a teacher. It is a public record; which means if any person asks for the opportunity to inspect and or copy it, they have a lawful right to do so. There is a State Statute called the Inspection of Public Records Act. According to the law, APS must surrender any public record in it possession or under its control, to anyone who asks for it.

The “record” of my career contains every public record generated by the allegations I have made against administrators and board members, records generated by the allegations that they have made against me, and records that were produced subsequent to those allegations.

I have asked for that record on a number of occasions. I have been denied access on every occasion. The reason that I have been denied that access is that, the record contains incontrovertible proof of ethical and criminal misconduct, including felony criminal misconduct, by high ranking APS Administrators and Board Members.

Although the law requires the surrender of public records, the Leadership of the APS has, by and through their lawyers at Modrall (whose President is married to School Board President Paula Maes; herself the subject of allegations of misconduct), managed through legal weaselry, to avoid having to surrender the record.

I have nothing to hide. I have always insisted, and continue to insist without reservation, that the entire public record be made available to anyone who wants to see it. I have offered, and continue to offer, to submit to polygraphy regarding any allegation made by me or against me. I have previously taken and passed a polygraph regarding the then current allegations.

If you choose not to believe this allegation, contact APS front man and Custodian of Public Records, Rigo Chavez. Ask him if he will surrender the entire public record surrounding the allegations made by me and against me.

Any answer except yes, is no.

APS Leadership Disgraces Itself Yet Again

For at least the eighth time in as many meetings of the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education, the Board and Superintendent were asked, Are you willing to hold yourselves honestly accountable to the same standard of conduct that you enforce upon students, or, explain why you will not?

Perhaps out of shame, perhaps in simple arrogance, their eyes and attention immediately shifted to the paperwork on the table before them. During the next two minutes of deafening silence, unable to meet the eyes of a single member of the standing room only audience, they fiddled with the imaginary task of sorting their paperwork.

For the at least the eighth time they have renounced their obligation as the senior role models for the District’s 6,000 employees and 98,000 students. Students are required to model and promote the Pillars of Character Counts, a widely recognized, accepted and respected code of ethics. The Board has eliminated accountability for itself even to their recently lowered Employee Standards of Conduct; because they are “not really employees”.

And for the eighth time this disgraceful display by the stewards of hundreds of millions of tax dollars will not be reported by the Albuquerque Journal or Tribune, which together have refused to investigate or report upon the APS Ethics Scandal, even through the elections of board members and a 350 million dollar bond issue.

APS Ethics Scandal; pick a side, cowboy up.

(this is a repeat of an September post)

There is a fight going on.

On one side is the Leadership of the APS. They refuse to hold themselves honestly accountable to the same standard of conduct that applies to students. They refuse to be role models of the student standard of conduct.

On the other side there are those who believe that the Leadership of the APS should lead by their example. That they should be honestly accountable at the very least, to the student standard of conduct.

I don’t know how to use the phrase, “battle between good and evil” with out sounding histrionic. But if this is not, what is? I don’t know how much clearer the line can be drawn.

I don’t know how the stakes could higher.

There are times in life where you pretty much have to pick a side. You watch, you consider, and you find that you simply must pick a side.

The moment of truth is that time when you realize what you have to do; and then must summon the courage to do it.

Confucius wrote, "To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice."

Those who wait for better circumstances to make their stand, in the end will have made no stand at all.

Climbing off the fence will always mean sacrifice. It often requires courage.

When the danger has passed, so has the opportunity to display courage. The line between heroism and cowardice is in fact, a point. It is a moment. And when the moment has passed; the same act will never be more than too little and too late.

If we truly want our children to embrace character and courage and honor, then we must show them what it looks like. Now is a moment of truth.

I confess to an admiration for the builders of Stonehenge. The admiration isn’t inspired by the moving and placing of giant stones. A greater wonder is that someone could say something that compelled so many people to help with such a monumental and seemingly impossible task.

I wish that I knew what to say to get a few hundred people to go to a school board meeting.

Albuquerque Journal takes a shot at APS’ lack of accountability; misses the target.

APS has failed to adequately account for the spending of a couple of million tax dollars. As bad as that is, how do we know that it isn’t going to happen again this year? We don’t.

Assume for the sake of argument that the Peter Principle is valid; people get promoted for a job well done until they are finally promoted into a job that they can’t do. Realize that APS, according to an independent audit, evaluates administrators by a system that is “subjective and unrelated to promotion or step placement”. The combination seems to substantiate the supposition that inadequate accounting has to do with some administrator doing a job s/he can’t really do. Perhaps s/he didn’t to the job because they just didn’t feel like it. Maybe they didn’t even know it was their job.

The point is that nothing has happened that addresses the problem; there is no reason to believe that anything different will happen this year. That possibility is underscored by APS’ front man Rigo Chavez, who apparently thinks it was the city’s job to collect the data.

APS obviously doesn’t care about the job not being done. They have been dodging accountability forever. And because the Journal can’t be bothered to track down the responsible party or process, nothing has changed.

The whole idea behind accountability is to make sure that the same mistake is not made twice; or three times, or over and over again.

What the Journal Editors won’t report is that the leadership of the APS stands squarely against honest accountability to any meaningful standard of conduct for board members or administrators.

Bullseye.

It’s the system, stupid

The problem: public service does not serve public interests. Instead, public service serves private and personal interests. In so far as it is corrupt to use the power given to public servants for any interest except the public interest; the failure to serve the public interest is the manifestation of corruption and incompetence among public servants.

There are those who believe that the problem can be solved by electing a particular candidate or slate of candidates. The underlying contradiction that utterly destroys that belief, is the two hundred years of history leading up to a system that still enables corruption and incompetence. It is naïve to expect that the system can be fixed by electing a particular candidate or slate of candidates. It has been suggested that proof of insanity lies in doing the same thing over and over and over, and expecting a different result.

Imagine rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Imagine rearranging public servants. What is the difference?

Honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct is the only defense against corruption and incompetence. It is the perfect defense. Honest accountability is fatal to corruption and incompetence. It is that fact that accounts for the fact that those who benefit from corruption and incompetence never have and never will, provide honest accountability for their (mis)conduct.

The public cannot expect to change the system through intermediaries. It has not happened. It is not happening. It will not happen.

There is an opportunity for the public to change the system without depending on intermediaries; an opportunity to directly affect (change) the system.

There is a small group of elected officials in their version of the Titanic. It is possible to throw them and their lawyers, out of the boat. It is possible to take command of the boat and plug the leak in the hull. It is the time and the place for mutiny.

The axis of the APS Board, Superintendent, and Modrall, are opponents of honest accountability in their public service. Their position is indefensible. Their only defense is provided by the local media, primarily the Albuquerque Journal and Tribune, who have helped them suppress the truth about the APS Ethics Scandal.

If the story can be made public, even against the manifest will of the Journal and Tribune editors, those who have betrayed the public trust will be removed. They will be replaced by those who will hold themselves honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct. They will be replaced by those who have the moral courage to provide for honest accountability; even against their will.

If only the scandal could be made public.

Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez; MIA on the APS Ethics Scandal

Is there a scandal? I submit that there is based on the following facts. The leadership of the APS has repeatedly refused to hold itself honestly accountable to the same standard of ethical conduct that it enforces upon students. Further, the leadership of the APS pays lawyers to litigate unethically to save board members and senior administrators from the principled resolution of allegations of ethical and criminal misconduct; including felony criminal misconduct.

These facts represent an ethics scandal. These facts have never been refuted; by anyone.

Martin Chavez is aware of these facts. He also claims to be a founding supporter of Character Counts in Albuquerque. The Pillars of Character Counts represent the widely recognized, accepted and respected code of ethics that students are required to model and promote. It is the code of ethics to which every single board member and the superintendent have repeatedly refused to be held honestly accountable.

The scandal exists only because the local media, primarily the Albuquerque Journal and Tribune, refuse to investigate or report upon it. All Mayor Chavez has to do to end the scandal is to call public attention to it. He has that power and that responsibility.

If Mayor Chavez truly believes in Character Counts, then by its tenets, he is required to stand up for what he believes in; to stand up and be counted for honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct.

Perhaps he has been told by the leadership of the APS, that if he challenges them to accept honest accountability to the Pillars of Character Counts, they will challenge him to do the same. Perhaps that is why the people who run the Journal and Tribune will not stand up to be counted. Perhaps that is the reason that Character Counts founding father, Senator Pete Domenici will not stand up. Maybe when this stink is boiled down to its essence, the essential truth is that accountability to a higher standard of conduct is not for adults; it is only for children.

Through out history, accountability, honest accountability, to a higher standard of conduct has always been the expectation for the next generation of adults; not the current generation. We tell our kids about George Washington and the cherry tree to inspire them to embrace a higher standard; not ourselves.

Somebody who casts a shadow longer than I, must stand up to be counted. If not, the senior role models for 98,000 of our sons and daughters, and the stewards of hundreds of millions of tax dollars will continue to dodge accountability to any standard higher that the law. They will continue to dodge accountability even to the law; the lowest standard of acceptable conduct.

That situation is unacceptable. It is not in the interests of taxpayers, parents, teachers or students.

APS lacks accountability; again, and again, and again, and again …

According to this morning’s Albuquerque Journal, the APS have violated city contracts by failing to properly track the spending of millions of tax dollars.

The Journal didn’t use the word “again”. They know better. The leadership of the APS is all about dodging accountability whether for corruption or incompetence. It starts at the top. The board and superintendent have repeatedly refused, in public and on the record, to be held accountable to any meaningful standard of conduct. They will not be held accountable even to the standard that they have established for students.

Does it surprise anyone that there is then no accountability among their subordinates; from assistant superintendents down to principals?

Forget for the moment that they are refusing to recognize that they are role models for 98,000 of our sons and daughters. (How can we forget that, even for a moment?) They are stewards of hundreds of millions of tax dollars. Their failure to hold themselves accountable to any meaningful standard of conduct as they administer those funds; enables, in fact encourages, incompetence and corruption; wasted tax dollars.

The Journal did not use the word “again”. They, and the Albuquerque Tribune, steadfastly refuse to investigate or report upon the APS Ethics Scandal. As a result, tax dollars are gone; stolen by the corrupt and wasted by the incompetent.

Whose interests are being protected by the Journal and Tribune? Clearly it is not the interests of taxpayers, parents, teachers, or students.

New Mexico Educator Ethics (Shmethics) Bureau

Within the Public Education Department lies the Educator Ethics Bureau. It is the mechanism used by administrators to hold teachers accountable for ethical misconduct. However well it serves in that respect; when a teacher tries to hold an administrator accountable for ethical misconduct, it serves exponentially less well.

Almost two years ago, a complaint was filed against APS’ Superintendent Elizabeth Everitt. The complaint alleged that the effort, to save administrators and board members from accountability for ethical and criminal misconduct, was itself unethical.

Yesterday, I sought information on the outcome of that complaint and another complaint. I contacted one Paul Calderon, the Director of the Educator Ethics Bureau. He informed me that “The case is still under investigation. At this time no information is allowed to be given until the investigation is completed.”

So, almost two years later, the Educator Ethics Bureau is still investigating whether or not dodging ethical and legal accountability is unethical.

Frankly, I find it hard to believe. It seems a lot more plausible that in fact, Elizabeth Everitt (and her lawyers) enjoy the same exception to honest accountability that every powerful person in New Mexico enjoys. It is worth noting that although the Bureau is supposed to acknowledge that a complaint has been received, I have not received that letter of acknowledgement for either complaint. That situation enables, I suppose, that at some time the Bureau can argue that they never, in fact, received a complaint.

I would like to hold the Ethics Bureau accountable for the mishandling of my complaints. The effort requires two things; a standard against which their conduct can be measured, and a system under which the complaint will be resolved.

On the Ethics Bureau’s website, there is a link to “Our Rules”. The link doesn’t link. So much for a standard against which to measure their conduct. Before he started ignoring my emails, Calderon had been asked five times for access to the rules. Five times he ignored my request.

As to a system by which he might be held accountable; twice I asked Calderon for the name of the person with whom I could file a complaint over his obfuscation of the follow up on my complaints. Twice he ignored my request.

So there it is. No rules against which to measure his misconduct and no system under which his misconduct can be reported. It would seem his Directorship of the Educator Ethics Bureau has more to do with personal connections than personal example.

Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics is feckless

There is an old adage about buying padlocks; locks only keep out honest people. The understanding is that an honest person will recognize and respect the boundary implied by even the cheapest padlock, and a dishonest person will neither recognize nor respect that boundary implied by the heaviest lock.

Similarly, codes of ethics are of little use to ethical people; they simply do not need reiteration of boundaries. Unethical people will not be bound by them under any circumstance. In particular if the code is unenforceable as is the Journalists’ Code of Ethics.

Take for example, Albuquerque’s Tribune and Journal. Their refusal to report on a widespread ethics scandal in the Albuquerque Public Schools clearly violates the Journalists’ Code of Ethics. But what is one to do? There is no body to which they can be reported; no system by which they can be held accountable. Like a burglar with a ten pound sledgehammer against a cheap padlock, they will have their way.

Like a 79 cent padlock, the Code is useless in protecting the community even against the most egregious betrayal of their interests and trust.

The APS Ethics Scandal, the fight, the combatants, the MIA.

The scandal; the leaders of the Albuquerque Public Schools have decided that they will not be held accountable for their (mis)conduct. They have eliminated standards against which their conduct can be measured. They have rendered powerless any system by which they might be held accountable even to the meaningless standards that remain.

The stakes are not unimportant. Students no longer have role models of accountability to a higher standard of conduct. The story of George Washington and the cherry tree has been reduced to an exercise in hypocrisy. Community members now have no choice but to entrust hundreds of millions of tax dollars to individuals, not one of whom will accept accountability even to the law. Parents have been denied their right to meaningful participation, by silencing of their citizen advisory councils. Teachers have been denied the basic rights of citizenship; level two grievances can be denied without a hearing, teachers are not allowed to record meetings in which they are active participants; even disciplinary proceedings. It cannot be argued that the leaders of the APS have excepted themselves from accountability without cost.

In any fight, there are opponents and indifferent bystanders. On the side of dodging accountability are the men and women who run the district, their lawyers, and the local media. Least powerful in the axis are the board and administration. When the details of the scandal are finally revealed, it is likely that they will simply disappear. Their position is absolutely indefensible. Their lawyers on the other hand have seemingly unlimited influence. Feeding at the bottomless trough of unwitting taxpayer support for “education”; they have the capacity to save the leadership from accountability even to the law. And finally, there is the media. Were the scandal to become public, the leadership and their lawyers would fall. The media has steadfastly refused to report upon the scandal; even through two elections. They are aware of the scandal; their support for the leaders of the APS is considered and deliberate. They are responsible, more than any other participant, for the continued success of the board members and senior administrators in dodging accountability for their misconduct.

Allied against them; me. I have tried for a dozen years to create for the board and administration honest accountability to a meaningful standard of conduct. If there is anyone else standing up against this egregious betrayal of trust, they are unknown to me.

The MIA, those who know the truth and who enable to the scandal to remain unquestioned, are a constant disappointment. They include:

Senator Pete Domenici; a founding father of Character Counts.
Michael Josephson, the founder of Character Counts.
Martin Chavez, Mayor of Albuquerque
Members of Albuquerque’s City Council; Ken Sanchez, Debbie O’Malley, Isaac Benton, Brad Winter, Michael Cadigan, Martin Heinrich, Sally Mayer, Craig Loy, and Don Harris. (In fairness, I represent that these individuals are aware because I emailed the truth to them. If they represent that they are unaware because the message was not forwarded to them by a mail screener, I cannot maintain otherwise. The exception is Brad Winter who has witnessed the scandal firsthand as a member of the audience during a number of School Board Meetings where the board refused to be held accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct; the scandal manifest.)
The Albuquerque Teachers Federation. The Federation’s failure to stand up and be counted is particularly upsetting because it was the Federation who brought Character Counts to the APS. Their failure negatively impacts the teachers whom they represent.
Teri Cole and the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce who bask in the warmth of their claim to support Character Counts, but don’t.
The Character Counts Leadership Council. I will concede that the efforts to keep them in the dark may have been successful; however unlikely that possibility now seems.
APS senior and subordinate administrators. In their defense; APS’ culture of retaliation and retribution, makes the potential cost for standing up to be counted, higher than the cost for most. There is a concerted effort to keep them in the dark as well.
Finally, the untold numbers of eyewitnesses at board meetings and recipients of my emails begging for their support. Those who are apparently willing to do nothing but sit by and watch the scandal live on.

The board and senior administration will not end the scandal. Their lawyers will do what makes them rich. The media will not report it.

The scandal will end when the MIA stand up to be counted. Or it will never end.

Albuquerque Journal’s Amy Miller saves ink; reports half the truth

When a reader reads a newspaper article on a school board meeting, what do they expect to find? I submit that they expect to be told the truth, the whole truth. I submit that they would be disappointed to find that a part of the truth had been deliberately withheld. In particular I submit that they would feel betrayed when they find out that the truth has not been told at the behest of powerful people who manipulate reporters and newspapers to hide personal guilt; to avoid accountability for misconduct.

During the board meeting, it was entered into the record, that the broadcast version of a previous meeting had been falsified. APS gave a dishonestly edited videotape to a local TV station for broadcast. Viewers were deliberately misled.

The proof of this allegation is on the record. There is the tape of the broadcast version which can be compared to the “official” version and to the memories of anyone at the meeting. APS’ Rigo Chavez declares that this is not “dishonest” because the broadcast version is not the “official” record. His argument is as compelling as the school yard belief it is OK to lie if you cross your fingers behind your back.

It stands to reason that a reporter cannot report everything. Some judgment must be exercised regarding that which is important enough to burden readers with additional copy.

The Board was asked again, in recognition of National Character Counts Week, to hold themselves accountable to that standard; the standard they enforce upon students. Ms. Miller (and/or her boss) apparently feel that the Board and Administration’s seventh refusal to be held honestly accountable to a meaningful standard of conduct, is also unworthy of mention.

Apparently Amy Miller and/or her boss, think the fact that APS has deliberately deceived the community regarding their unwillingness to be held accountable for their misconduct, is unimportant.

I can’t help but feel that readers would disagree. I think they would feel betrayed.

Falsifying the record of a board meeting isn’t “dishonest”

…says APS’ Rigo Chavez, because it wasn’t the “official” record.

During the public forum of the board meeting before last, the board and superintendent were asked if they would hold themselves accountable to the same standard of conduct that they enforce upon students.

The truth is that they refused to answer. They sat in silent shame shuffling papers or engaging in childish staring contests with me. When the “record” of the board meeting was broadcast on local TV, their refusal to respond had been edited out of the record. Every person who watched the public forum on TV was deliberately deceived. But it wasn’t “dishonest” according to APS front man Chavez. The broadcast record isn’t “official”.

Who falsified the record? No one on the Board or Administration has come forward to be held accountable; so the finger now points to Russell Reid, the guy who edits the broadcast version. Mr. Reid knows better. In a previous chat with me, he assured me that the edited tapes reflect the truth; the entire board meeting without omission. It is beyond me why he would sacrifice his integrity to protect board members unless someone told him to, but like I said, no one else is standing up.

This has a familiar ring to it. Robert Lucero, who will be running for re-election next February, insisted that board members are not covered by the employee code of conduct because they are “not really employees”. They get paid by the District, but they are not “really” employees. And deliberately misleading people is not really “dishonest”.

Doesn’t it make you want to puke?

Mr. Chavez, Mr. Reid, and Mr. Lucero will be allowed to post a rebuttal if they care to.

Albuquerque Journal, Amy Miller; fall short on Trustworthiness

Ms. Miller’s article, Family Values, explores Character Counts and its presence in the APS. The article is dishonest.

According to Making Ethical Decsions, published by the Josephson institute;

There is no more fundamental ethical value than honesty. It involves both communications and conduct. Honesty in communications is expressing the truth as best we know it and not conveying it in a way likely to mislead or deceive. There are three dimensions:
Truthfulness. Truthfulness is presenting the facts to the best of our knowledge. Intent is the crucial distinction between truthfulness and truth itself.
Sincerity. Sincerity is genuineness, being without trickery or duplicity. It precludes all acts, including half-truths, …, that are intended to create beliefs or leave impressions that are untrue or misleading.
Candor. In relationships involving legitimate expectations of trust, honesty may also require candor, forthrightness and frankness, imposing the obligation to volunteer information that another person needs to know.

Ms. Miller, and the Journal, have presented a half truth. Yes, in some classrooms and schools, Character Counts is taught and modeled. The untold half of the truth is that the Leaders of the APS have renounced Character Counts as their own standard. Her article leaves the impression that the APS are invested in Character Counts by failing to mention that the Leaders of the APS refuse to hold themselves accountable to the Pillars of Character Counts; the student standard of conduct. The community needs to know that the senior role models for 89,000 of their sons and daughters, and the stewards of hundreds of millions of tax dollars, refuse to be held honestly accountable to any code of ethical behavior.

Ms. Miller and the Journal are unworthy of trust.

APS Police officers reveal student safety issue despite fear of retaliation

According to KRQE news, two employees of the APS Police department stepped up to tell the truth about safety concerns regarding APS portable classrooms. The news report on the officers’ allegations substantiated the concern that they had raised.

The officers had asked that their identities be kept secret for fear of being fired. They raised a legitimate concern about student safety; and for that they fear retaliation.

Their fear is not unjustified. An audit by the Council of Great City Schools revealed that fear of retribution and retaliation against those who question decisions of superiors was part of the “culture” in the APS. Their use of the word “culture” is not insignificant. Retribution and retaliation against those who rock the boat in the APS is not limited to isolated instances.

Telling the truth about a school safely issue should not provoke retaliation; but in the APS it does. The men, women and lawyers that lead the APS are all about suppressing inconvenient truth. Not to forget, it was only one month ago that the broadcast record of a school board meeting was falsified to conceal the truth about the refusal of the board and superintendent to hold themselves accountable to a code of ethical conduct. Because they have excepted themselves from ethical accountability, they are able to continue to hide the truth from stakeholders; even when the stakes include student safety.

For how much longer will APS Leaders and the media continue to conceal the truth about the APS Ethics Scandal and the damage it is causing?

If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

There is probably no title more likely to have driven off a reader. Thank you for your time and attention.

The Problem:

Children will grow into adults. If we have a preference between the kinds of adults into which they will grow; we need to involve ourselves in that growth.

What ever it is that we model; we teach. If we want children to grow to embrace character and honor and courage; we have to teach them what they look like. Character is taught by example; it is taught only by example.

I believe that the parents and community of the 98,000 students in the APS want those students to be taught to embrace a higher standard (than the law). We represent that George Washington was a hero and worthy of emulation because he was willing to hold himself honestly accountable to a higher standard of conduct. It is precisely the point of the story of George Washington and the cherry tree.

APS Leaders have abandoned their responsibilities as role models. They have refused repeatedly and on the record to hold themselves accountable to the same standard that they enforce upon students. The code of ethics that the state uses to hold educators accountable, requires that educators must demonstrate through personal example, their commitment to the higher standard of ethical conduct.

The Solution:

People need to show up at the next board meeting. At that meeting they need to express their belief that educational leadership begins with honest accountability to a widely recognized, accepted and respected code of ethics.

Or simply stand in support of those who do.

At some point, when the crowd is large enough, the Leadership of the APS will accept honest accountability; or they will resign. The terms of public service are the prerogative of the public; not of the public servant.


Alternatively, post a comment on this essay. Tell why you won’t come. Please

Protecting Children from School Violence

A suburban school district in Fort Worth Texas trains students to attack their attacker.

APS trains its students to lie silently and motionless in the dark, waiting for their murderer, and contemplating their helplessness. …for hours.

Experts in childhood psychology tell us that these different approaches, coupled with training in the approaches, carry with them profoundly different lasting psychological effects on children. In particular, on those students who already feel afraid at school for what ever reason.

School Violence; submit or resist

A suburban school district in Fort Worth Texas trains students to attack their attacker. APS trains its students to lie in the dark for hours, in silence, contemplating their helplessness.

The correct approach could be determined after an informed debate. But the leadership of the APS does not permit debate. According to the Council of Great City Schools audit, the board, administration and Modrall, have created a culture of retaliation and retribution for those who dare to rock their boat.

APS’ Praetorian Guard, according to their union president, wants to discuss the possibility of being armed all day long. After all, in addition to protecting the administration and board, they are responsible for protecting students. The board will not have their decision revisited.

It is arrogant, ill advised, and completely inappropriate.

Similarly, they refuse to discuss their decision to except themselves from accountability to the student standard for conduct; or any other meaningful standard of conduct.

It is arrogant, ill advised, and completely inappropriate.

Ethics Scandal, APS School Board President Paula Maes

The Trib’s Susie Gran reports that School Board President Paula Maes wants to find better ways to communicate with parents. Yet on her watch, the board decided the two influential and active citizen groups were not the best way to involve parents, and silenced them.

From a leadership standpoint, and until a better format is provided: it would seem to be prudent to keep the groups intact and allow them to address the issue themselves. The protests of the silenced community members are proof that those involved in the groups wanted to continue. How can Paula Maes and the board simply ignore them?

The answer is simple. The groups were not disbanded to improve communication with parents. The decision was made to obstruct communication by large, and therefore influential, groups of stakeholders.

At the very first meeting of any advisory group, or any other large group where I will be allowed to speak or hand out fliers, the members will be informed about the APS Ethics Scandal. And then Paula Maes will be compelled to resign. As will other Board Members and the Superintendent. Allegations of ethical and criminal misconduct, including felony criminal misconduct, by senior APS Administrators and Board Members will see principled resolution; they will be held accountable.

This is not about better communication; it is about suppressing the truth.

If a half truth is a whole lie, Susie Gran and the Trib have lied. Again.

Dear Senator Domenici

There is an ethics scandal in the Albuquerque Public Schools. The leadership of the APS; the board, administration and Modrall, has abandoned their commitment to the Pillars of Character Counts. Although the pillars remain the higher standard of ethical conduct for students, APS Leaders refuse to hold themselves accountable to the same standard.

In your role as a United States Senator, the scandal in your hometown school district may be inconsequential. But as a founding father of Character Counts, surely you must be appalled by the egregious betrayal of the principles of character which you helped to articulate. I wonder why you have not spoken up in defense of the necessity of ethical leadership, particularly in education

My hope is that you are unaware of the depth and breadth of the scandal. The effort to cover it up is monumental.

In my effort to contact Albuquerque’s Character Counts Leadership Council, high ranking APS Administrators, Toby Herrera, Dee Dee Stroud, and Carole Smith, all members of the Character Counts Leadership Council, have apparently done nothing to inform their fellow council members of the scandal. What other reason could there be for the failure of the Leadership Council to intervene? Carole Smith, Director of the APS Character Counts Leadership Cooperative, not only refuses to respect the stakeholder rights of fellow members by sharing the truth, but refuses to furnish contact information for members in order that I may.

Lisa Breeden, Communications Director in your Senate Office, is aware of the scandal. As you know, she sits on the Character Counts Leadership Council herself. She has repeatedly refused to establish contact between the council and me. Perhaps she, the APS senior administration, and others like them, have kept the scandal secret from you as well.

I have received two letters over your name indicating that you had contacted both the APS and State Boards of Education asking for a response my allegations. The APS Board claims to have received no letter. I prefer to believe the assurance sent to me over your name. I have heard nothing from the State Board either.

I cannot suppose that you would have heard about the scandal in the news media because it has not been reported. You, like your constituents have been kept in the dark; deliberately. Perhaps it is because Paula Maes, School Board President, in her capacity as President of the New Mexico Broadcasters, is able to manipulate the media. What other reason could explain their failure to inform voters even through two elections, and most probably, through a third?

She is in fact the President of the Character Counts Leadership Council; yet that group is not on the record in response to their betrayal.

I am supposing that given the number of people who will read this post and can actually get face time with you, that I can be assured that you will be finally informed, that I will have broken the circle of those who are apparently denying you your opportunity to speak up.

The specific allegations of the APS’ culture of corruption and incompetence are fully covered in by blog and are substantiated by public records. As yet, not one allegation has been refuted with evidence or sworn testimony. In fact, none has been refuted at all

I would like to know the truth. Are you aware of the truth surrounding the APS Ethics Scandal?

A comment in response to this post will suffice. In that manner it will be public record. It will be posted on NowPublic and on my blog; Diogenes’six

Respectfully,
Ched MacQuigg

Power Corrupts; Absolutely

…but only within a system that allows corruption. In fact power does not corrupt. The fount of corruption is the opportunity to abuse power without consequence.

The first intelligent abuse of power is to eliminate accountability for the abuse of power. Where there is accountability there is no abuse. Accountability is fatal to the abuse of power.

Consider transparency. Transparency is arguably the most effective deterrent to abusive power. To the extent that it is not provided, it is not provided because it is not in the interests of those who wield power. They prefer to wield their power in the dark. That is because they don’t want you to know what there are doing.

Now consider the amount of transparency that is provided for us by those to whom we entrust our power. Were there some way to quantify integrity, and the support for transparency, we would find that those with the least integrity are least supportive. Those with the most integrity are the most supportive.

There is proof, there will be more. Mario Burgos offered an opportunity for integrity to manifest itself in reporting campaign funding. He can report on the number of respondents and perhaps upon the implications of the number. Gideon Elliot reported upon the punch the clock campaign. He will be able to report upon the number of respondents and the implications of that number.

I am confident that the results will support the thesis that those who represent the “system” are not going to fix the system.

The system will be fixed only when the pubic crashes into the system and takes back control.

Who is in charge?

Apparently there has been an incident at a high school in Rio Rancho. What ever the specifics of that incident, in general, it was a manifestation of a deeper issue. There is a struggle for control in schools. The struggle exists momentarily and fundamentally.

If asked, I suppose that the leaders of the APS would argue that the school board and administration are fundamentally in charge of their schools. I would argue that they are not.

Board Policy forbids students from “sagging”, wearing pants low enough to deliberately expose underwear. The issue is not sagging. The point is that the school board prohibits sagging. And yet, students sag. The point is that the adults said no and the children are doing it anyway.

And when they do, they are toe to toe and eyeball to eyeball with adults. They are defying a rule; openly and deliberately. It is not inadvertent misconduct. It is deliberate and in your face misconduct And they are getting away with it.

Students are in charge at schools where prohibited behavior is permitted.

For a number of very good reasons; adults have legitimate and justifiable authority over children. It is widely conceded that that situation is in the best interests of children.

APS Leaders will not admit that they are not in charge of their schools.

For years the numbers associated with the lack of control in schools has been rising. APS Leaders offer that this is the result of keeping better track of the data. Apparently they keep getting better year after year. How long does in take to get good at writing the truth in the, How many kids got stabbed at your school today? box?

The axis of the Board, Administration, and Modrall, refuse to be held accountable for their conduct. They have forfeited the moral authority to demand that students be accountable for theirs. And they aren’t. At some substantial cost.

The situation is educationally inefficient. It must change.

APS’ Everitt, the Subject of an Ethics Complaint

On July 2oth, 2006, a complaint was filed with the State of New Mexico, Department of Education, Educator Ethics Bureau. The complaint alleges that APS’ Everitt breached the Standards of Professional Conduct for Educators.

The complaint alleges that Everitt has breached the Standards by:
1. maintaining two standards of conduct; one for adults and one for students, the students being held to a higher standard. It was alleged that this violates her responsibility to lead by example; and is diametrically opposite to the requirements of the CODE OF ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDUCATION PROFESSION. One cannot claim to model accountability by refusing to accept it.
2. failing to provide honest accountability for ethical misconduct by administrators.
3. failing to provide a consistent and justifiable personal example. Her refusal to hold herself honestly accountable to the student standard of conduct is a manifest failure to provide a personal example.
4. betraying the public trust. The public trust was betrayed by the removal from the employee standards of conduct, the expectation and the phrase, …in no case shall the standard for adults be lower than the standard for children.

There are two questions; does Everitt refuse to be held accountable to the same code of ethics that binds students, and, is it unethical to refuse to be held honestly accountable to a code of ethics?

On the first, Everitt has repeatedly refused such accountability at open meetings of the school board, on the record, substantiated by a video tape record.

As for the second question, the answer is self evident.

The allegation is simple, the evidence is clear. The Ethics Bureau is yet to respond to the complaint. They have yet to acknowledge its receipt, despite the fact that such acknowledgement is required the rules of the Bureau.

Is the Superintendent exempt from the process?

Does the Superintendent of APS enjoy some exception to the rules that bind her subordinates?

If so, perhaps she will defend that exception, on the record.

Accountability by voter; the myth

When voters lament corruption and incompetence in public service, they are assured that they can hold public servants accountable for their corruption and incompetence at the next election; by voting the scoundrels out!

At best, at the very best, they might occasionally remove a bad apple or two. But the expectation that the overall level of corruption and incompetence will be reduced in the process is naïve. Were there real efficacy in the approach; we would not now be the victims of widespread corruption and incompetence.

Ending corruption and incompetence in public service by attempting to vote out the corrupt and incompetent is a little like fighting a malaria outbreak by treating the headache and fever.

Corruption and incompetence exist because they can. The system tolerates and enables them. Those who created and maintain a system friendly to corruption and incompetence cannot be expected to create a system hostile to them. It is not in their interests.

Voters will never do more than choose between two, or a few, individuals who will then either join the system or be crushed by it. Voters are never offered anything but a choice. The extent of their exercise of power is to select between the choices offered to them. They will never be offered a choice between clean and dirty government. Voters will never vote on the system.

There is an opportunity to change the system; a window of opportunity.

APS Ethics Scandal; worthy questions.

Students are taught that their character depends on their accountability to a higher standard, a code of ethical behavior, the Pillars of Character Counts. They are taught that their character is worth developing and protecting. It is the fundamental principle that we illustrate with the story of George Washington and the cherry tree. They are taught that their character counts; that it is worthy of deliberate and meaningful personal sacrifice.

The eight men and woman and their lawyers, who run APS are not accountable to the same standard. In practice, they are are not accountable even to the law.

Imagine that a student asks, why are there different standards? And then asks, why should I hold myself accountable to a higher standard, at some sacrifice, while you will not?

APS Ethics Scandal hiding the truth

There is only one reason to hide the truth; to avoid the consequences that the truth will evoke.

According to state law, public servants and public institutions are required to tell the truth in so far as they are required to surrender public records upon demand.

The failure to surrender public records is one manifestation of the ethics scandal in the APS.

Rigo Chavez, APS’s Custodian of Public Records was asked to surrender the truth regarding a number of issues. To date he has not. Has he broken the law? A number of lawyers feeding at the trough of unwitting taxpayer support of “education” and at the behest of the leaders of APS would argue no. And they will continue to argue no until “…directed otherwise by a court of law after exhausting all possible appeals.”

They can afford to do that because of a virtually unlimited budget that will be used to suppress the truth.

If you want the opportunity to inspect and/or copy records of the truth it will cost you $.50 per page; tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, and years of your life.

I would like to know how much money the Modrall Law Firm makes off APS. That is particularly important because the President of Modrall, and the President of the School Board are married to each other. My request for pertinent public records did not result in the disclosure of the truth.

I am curious why the media will not investigate or report upon the APS Ethics Scandal. My request for public records revealing the amount of money that local media make off of APS did not result in the disclosure of the truth.

I believe that members of the APS Character Counts Leadership Council have a right to know about details of the scandal. My request for public records revealing contact information for council members did not result in the disclosure of the truth.

I believe that employees, parents, and students at school sites have a right to know the truth about the ethics scandal. My request for public records that would enable practical contact with school sites did not result in the disclosure of the truth.

Subordinate administrators have a right to know the truth. My request for useful contact information did not result in the disclosure of the truth.

Board member Robert Lucero argues that he and other board members are not accountable even to the newly lowered employee standards of conduct. He maintains that he and other board members are not “really” employees. My request for the truth about their “employment” did not result in the disclosure of the truth.

The record of a previous board meeting was falsified before its broadcast on TalNet. My request for the original video tapes of the meeting has not resulted in the disclosure of the truth.

I could go on, trust me. The point is made. The Leadership of the APS has an ethical and legal obligation to surrender the truth, even the inconvenient truth, and they will not. Their ethical obligation is unenforceable because they have eliminated accountability to any code of ethical conduct. Their legal obligation is unenforceable because they have a virtually unlimited legal defense fund, and because their lawyers are willing and able in the practice of Juris Mustelidae Mustela. If you are powerful enough and have resources enough and are so inclined; you are unaccountable even to the law.

Honest accountability defined

Honest accountability means;

the least powerful person can file a complaint against the most powerful person, and that complaint will be impartially adjudicated according to agreed upon principles.

(note; the actual post date is 10/11/07)

APS Ethics Scandal and Senator Pete Domenici

Senator Pete Domenici owns my respect for among other things, being one of the founding fathers of Character Counts.

I am disappointed that he has not spoken publicly about the APS Ethics Scandal. In fairness, I have never spoken to him personally; so there may be some chance that he is still unaware of the scandal.

I know for sure that Lisa Breeden, who works for the Senator and who is herself a member of the APS Character Counts Leadership Council, is aware of the scandal. I know that she has repeatedly refused to allow me to contact the Leadership Council with information on the scandal. I believe that the stakeholder rights of Council members have been disrespected by the cover up of the scandal.

It is possible, I suppose, that Ms. Breeden has placed herself between me and the Senator as well. Somebody needs to tell him the truth. His home town public school leadership has repeatedly refused to hold itself honestly accountable to the Pillars of Character Counts. They refuse to hold themselves honestly accountable to the standard that they represent to be the minimal acceptable standard for student conduct.

I cannot imagine that he would not be upset.

APS Ethics Scandal covered up by the media

The local media, print and broadcast, are aware of the APS Ethics Scandal. It appears to be their deliberate decision to leave the scandal uninvestigated and unreported.

When I asked Rigo Chavez for any public records indicating the amount of money APS pays to local media outlets, Mr. Chavez provided no pertinent information.

Perhaps the media is helping a big client with a big problem. Who knows? It would be difficult even to speculate whether the amount of money was large enough to warrant biased reporting.

The bias is profound. The APS Ethics Scandal has been covered up by APS leadership and the media through two elections, and probably through the next.

If the media is not protecting the administration and the board for economic reasons; then why?

Whose interests are being served by the cover up? Voters? Parents? Students? The only interests being served are those of the leadership of the APS. They are not legitimate interests.

There is no ethical interest of which I am aware that mitigates the media’s refusal to report the truth.

APS Ethics Scandal is bad business

Stewardship of tax dollars is at least the second highest priority of administrators and board members.

There are two impediments to effective stewardship; corruption and incompetence. The corrupt will steal money, the incompetent will waste it. A vacuum of accountability is filled by corruption and incompetence.

Although honest accountability is fatal to both corruption and incompetence; the leadership of APS has chosen to provide none. In the APS, an administrator or board member who is corrupt and or incompetent, cannot be held honestly accountable for that corruption and or incompetence The school board and superintendent have repeatedly refused to hold themselves honestly accountable for their conduct.

A recent audit of the APS revealed that administrative evaluations were subjective and unrelated to promotion and step placement.

The leadership of the APS tolerates and enables corruption and incompetence. They are misdirecting funds which should be used in the education of 98,000 students.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but the media will not report upon this situation or upon any other aspect of the APS Ethics Scandal.

APS Ethics Scandal; school safety.

Your honor student is a whole lot more likely to get beat up at school than s/he is to get shot.

Your child’s safety at school is directly affected by the atmosphere at their school. To the extent that adults are in charge; that the adult will is manifest; your child is safer. To the extent that students are in charge, that their will is manifest; your child is less safe.

It is against APS board policy for students to “sag”. Rightly or wrongly, the board prohibits the wearing of pants so low that underwear is deliberately exposed.

If you visit a typical middle school or high school, you will see a number of students sagging; without consequence, in plain sight, in manifest defiance.

This is not about sagging.

Our sons and daughters are less safe at schools where prohibited behavior is permitted; schools where the will of the student is super-ordinate.

The responsibility for the enforcement of discipline policies falls upon the administration and board. With respect to the issue of sagging; the board and administration are permitting prohibited behavior. They are not in control of our school campuses; students are.

They cannot hold students accountable for their misconduct, because they themselves will not be held accountable for their own.

Before APS Leaders decided that the issue would no longer be surveyed; before they decided (deliberately) to no longer compile the statistic; most teachers reported that the failure of the administration and board to control the behavior of students represented a significant deterrent to an educationally efficient environment.

APS has no discipline philosophy. Even after the problem was entered onto the record, the leadership of APS failed to provide a philosophical foundation for their discipline policies. APS’s discipline policy is indefensible by any argument on the record.

The student discipline policy, in that respect, is indefensible. Were that not problem enough; the schools’ leadership refuses to model the policy before students. They expect students to hold themselves accountable to a higher standard than they will hold themselves. They model only hypocrisy. This situation enables disruptive students to continue to disrupt classrooms.

The situation will not be addressed because it cannot without drawing attention to the issue of administrative and board member accountability.

The Leadership of APS cannot afford to make an issue about accountability because that discussion would inevitably turn to their own exception from accountability. They would have to defend their decision to except themselves from accountability.

The only defense of an indefensible position is to stonewall.

The refusal of the administration and board to hold themselves honestly accountable to a widely recognized, accepted and respected code of ethical conduct; makes schools inherently less safe.

I am compelled to remind readers that the media has not reported upon this situation or upon any other aspect of the APS Ethics Scandal.

APS Praetorian guard; armed and unaccountable

On the table; should APS Police carry guns all day?

After that decision is made, those officers would be accountable to some set of standards that govern the carrying and the use of those guns. Or will they?

By his own admission, Chief Lovato’s APS Praetorian Guard is unaccredited and uncertified by any external organization. What that means is; if an officer mishandles his/her weapon it will be reported to Lovato, who will then, supposedly, report the incident to Tom Savage and or Beth Everitt. Neither Everitt, nor Savage, nor Lovato is required by APS board policy nor APS Procedural Directives, to tell the truth.

The truth will be managed. If it is inconvenient, it will be suppressed.

Students are required to tell the truth in response to a legitimate question. Everitt, Savage, and Lovato are not. Board member Robert Lucero disposed of a motion before the Board which would have required, as a matter of policy, that APS Administrators and Board Members be required to tell the truth. APS leadership is not required by any APS policy, to be accountable to any standard of truthtelling and ethical conduct.

I am not so worried about the individual police officers personal conduct, as I am worried about their oversight by a system that deliberately and methodically dodges accountability.

I am concerned that this situation, and the entire APS Ethics Scandal, is being covered up by APS Leaders and the media. Even through two elections, and most probably a third.