Oma on Board: July 2012

APS "courageous" in sharing data

The UNM Center for Education Policy Research has compiled a 130 page document, link, entitled, Mapping the Landscape of Educational Outcomes in Albuquerque.The document begins with a declaration of their intent; "... to support the conversations that will make this city an even better place to live." The conversations that make communities better are dependent on a number of things, not the least of which are data; complete and accurate....

Sagger wars, on again, in earnest

This isn't about "sagging", wikilink. Three APS high schools will attempt to do what has never been done before; end sagging in an APS high school.This isn't the first time its been tried. In the late 80's early 90's "sagging" was specifically and explicitly prohibited in APS School Board Policy. The leadership of the APS then did their best to get kids to pull up their pants; they're still sagging. KRQE reports, link, Eldorado, La Cueva...

If Schultz had to stand for election, would he win?

City Councilor Ken Sanchez thinks Albuquerque voters should pick their Chief of Police by the same processthey pick their County Sheriff, election.The prospect of Chief Ray Schultz running for Chief begs a question;if did have to run, could he win?The obvious answer; no, is by itself, justification enoughto insist that he stand for election.photos Mark Bral...

Skandera plan credibility questioned

NM Education Secretary Designate Hanna Skandera and Governor Susana Martinez have implemented a plan for evaluating public schools. Because the plan is utterly indefensible, it has met with resistance as considerable as it was predictable.In an effort to make it easier for parents and community members to understand how schools are performing, they implemented a plan based on mathematical machinations that "only a few people in the entire...

Brooks backed down on principal transfer

APS Supt Winston Brooks stirred up a hornet's nest recently; he transferred the beloved and respected community member and principal of 14 years, out of Mission Avenue Elementary School.The issue is as much how Brooks handled the transfer, as it is the transfer itself.Either it never occurred to Brooks that he should involve the community in the decision to replace their principal, or it did occur to him, and he decided against it. It...

Emailgate only one aspect of shadow influence

As emailgate unfolds, the extent of the "alleged" shadow government in Santa Fe will come as a surprise to some people. They will be further surprised to discover that the width and depth of the shadow hides much more than politicians and public servants' in-private public business..The shadow, by which I mean the players, extends beyond government to every other influential institution, even the press.There is a theory that no two people...

Ed reform and teacher evaluation

By any reasonable measure, public education is performing poorly. Fifty percent literacy in math and reading, and 67% graduation rates point to fundamental flaws in the way we're doing business.Teachers play a part in the failure, but overall, a smaller part than most people think. There is no weak link in public education, the whole chain is failing from one end to the other.There are a few inescapable facts and obstacles to educating young children in particular. Their attention span and interests for one; they really are...

APS Community Relations Committee still owes due process to CACoC

The APS District and Community Relations Committee meeting agenda is posted, link. It lacks follow through on a problem that came up during a previous meeting of the committee.On March 27 of this year, representatives from the Citizens Advisory Council on Communication were given an opportunity to speak on behalf of a petition they delivered to the board in early August last year.With exception of a "thank you" note from School Board President...

Rogers avoids showdown with FOG

Modrall Attorney Pat Rogers has resigned from the Board of Directors of the NM Foundation for Open Government, the proximate result of his involvement in the brouhaha over emailgate.The FOG notified its membership in an email today.In his resignation letter, Rogers argued that his actions, conducting public business using private email accounts, "were always lawful"; the problem in a nutshell. Nevertheless, he offered his prompt...

Accusing Kent Walz

There is a post on Heath Haussamen's website having to do with NM FOG considering whether Pat Rogers should remain on their board, link. I took an opportunity to again accuse Journal Managing Editor Kent Walz of covering up the ethics and accountability scandal in the leadership of the APS. Haussamen took exception to my accusations, and chose to not publish it. He feels that my allegations lack the substantiation Journalist's Ethics...

Will Esquivel and Walz sit in judgment on Pat Rogers?

In an emailgate spinoff, we find Attorney Pat Rogers' membership on the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, being questioned.Some find his membership on the Board difficult to explain, in light of his involvement in emailgate; the diametric opposite of open government.Who will decide the propriety of Rogers continued presence? Will the entire Board participate, or will a few FOG heavy hitters take care...

$750,000 for duplicate investigation

The New Mexico Finance Authority has hired an international law firm to investigate "how and why" a fake audit was filed. They intend to pay up to $750,000 for the investigation. The investigation will duplicate the investigation by the State Auditors Office.If both probes are honest and competent, they will have identical findings, and taxpayers will simply be out three-quarters of a million dollars for no reason except to enable corrupt and incompetent public servants begin building their legal defense at taxpayer expense.These...

Korte off on a rant

Journal Managing Editor Kent Walz has given School Board Member Kathy Korte the opportunity to pen a guest column, link.Korte is upset by funding inadequacies and critics.She has her own ideas about why APS is failing half its students. Among them, truancy. Her solution to truancy; compulsory attendance through graduation. It illustrates her conviction, in the face of conventional wisdom, that horses actually can be brought to water...

Entire audit faked, Martinez to blame

The Journal reports, link, the New Mexico Finance Authority lied about audits and provided investors with fraudulent documents. It seems, State Auditor Hector Balderas will demand a special audit, the results of which will be forwarded to law enforcement.Too little, too late. All reaction, no evidence of an effective proactive effort to prevent this from happening. The first legitimate use of power and resources is to ensure that neither...

How long will this building last?

APS has built a new high school. It replaces a concrete, block, and steel building that has been standing for fewer than fifty years.The construction of an entirely new building was made necessary by APS' legendary inability to maintain roofs. According to APS Supt Winston Brooks; "..., worst of all, roof leaks in the past few years had damaged not only the structure, but also the equipment. The district’s Facilities Design and Construction Department had looked at just replacing the old roof, but when they considered the...

Whose head(s) should roll in an oversight failure?

Recently in the news; numerous reports of city employees spending their days serving their own interests instead of the people's.You know that a handful of reports is the only the tip of an enormous iceberg.As citizens and taxpayers, our defense against public corruption and incompetence is administrative oversight. With the exception of an occasional whistleblower and investigative reporter, it is our only defense.Every public servant...

You Are Never Finished in Smart Lab ...

I participate in a political discussion group every Saturday morning. It meets in a charter school called Southwest Learning Centers, link.Last Saturday, we met in a different room; a classroom called the Smart Lab. In the Smart Lab, students can do wind tunnel experiments,test the tensile strength of material samples,make video productions of some kind,and any number of other hands-on activities.Southwest Learning Centers is a top notch...