Who will stand to defend the interests of more than 90,000 of this community's sons and daughters in the APS?

The premise of course; that

it actually is in the best interests of children
to make some deliberate considerable effort
to help them develop their good character
at the earliest opportunity.

There are those who argue that character development is first and foremost the responsibility of parents and churches.

With respect to teaching character in school, opinions vary from;

anything is better than nothing, 

to,

nothing is better than anything.

As soon as parents and churches fill the character development vacuum, it will make some sense to debate whether parents or churches or schools will continue their success individually or together.

In the meantime, for most children, character development will take place at school or it will not take place at all.

If character education is really in the best interests of children, why aren't we doing a better job of it?  Why are we not doing it at all?

If character education is not in the best interests of children, why are we expecting students to

model and promote the Pillars of Character Counts! 
Respect Responsibility Trustworthiness, Citizenship, 
Fairness and Caring?

Why does the APS School Board, in their Student Behavior Handbook reiterate their expectation that students will model honest accountability to a nationally recognized, accepted and respected code of ethical conduct if it is not in their best interests?

There is not one single person in the entire leadership of the APS, willing to stand up in front of the community and pledge honest accountability to the Pillars of Character Counts!

Neither is there a single school board member or senior administrator willing explain to students in words they can understand, why children are expected to model and promote higher standards of conduct than their adult role models in the so-called leadership of the APS.

APS Supt Winston Brooks cannot look students in the eye and explain to them, how anyone of them can hold him accountable to the same standards he enforces upon them; the Pillars of Character Counts!

Whether the Pillars of Character Counts! are the best standards for students and adults is not the point.  The question of their propriety was settled when they where unanimously adopted by the APS School Board two decades ago and reaffirmed on an annual basis ever since.

What there needs to be is an open and honest public discussion of standards and accountability in the Albuquerque Public Schools.

There never has been one for the same reasons
there (likely) never will be one;
the leadership of the APS would rather not have the discussion and
their friends in the establishment media are willing to not ask why not?

Why hide the truth, except that it looks bad?

Why hide the truth very, very hard,
except that the truth looks very, very bad?

They will do everything they can to prevent and open and honest discussion of their individual and collective abdication of their obligations as the senior-most roles models of student standards of conduct.

If you understand why students in the APS need character education, or if you disagree about character education but still understand the need for a public meeting on the subject; then you understand why you need to go the next school board meeting.

There to be counted in support of

an open and honest public discussion of standards,
accountability and character education in the APS.

in defense of the best interests of students.




 photo Mark Bralley