The story inside the story written by Journal investigative reporter Mike Gallagher is; it seems APS Supt Winston Brooks and recently retired Assoc Supt Linda Sink weren't getting along.
It's a recurring theme; women working under Brooks and not getting along. A number of them are suing him.
There are those, I among them, who are concerned about by rumors, evidence and testimony regarding Brooks' treatment of women. The quality of his public service, his conduct and his competence, are legitimate interests of the people.
Brooks' and the board have an interest in keeping Brooks' inability to get along, to themselves. They have a common interest in protecting APS' and their public perception.
So a fundamental question is begged; whose business is it,
whether Brooks is a misogynist and a bully at work?
Would it be a private affair, just for those in the know,
or do the people have an interest?
Does Brooks' conduct at work enjoy any legitimate exception under open government laws?
Is the public service of the highest ranking public servant in the APS, a legitimate interest of the people?
Voters have a responsibility to hold school board members accountable at election. How can voters hold the board accountable, for holding the superintendent accountable, if his standards and accountability are a private affair?
The only assurances that Brooks and the board are doing a good job, come from Brooks, the board, and their million dollar communications department. It is manifest conflict of interests. It is a violation of school board policy.
We are assured by the school board, they hired a wonderful superintendent. We are assured by the school board, he's such a great superintendent, he deserves a $750K golden parachute. What else would you expect them to say; they hired a bully who can't get along with anyone, especially women?
The school board assuring us that they are doing a good job is a manifest conflict of interests. They're enabling corruption and incompetence to protect their own political and legal self interests.
Where is the independent investigation of standards and accountability in the leadership of the APS?
One would like to think it would be in the newspaper.
The Journal will investigate and report upon the allegations and evidence of dysfunction in APS' senior administration. They will investigate and report upon the evidence of an ethics and accountability scandal in APS' senior leadership, and the school board's ongoing complicity and complacency.
Education reporter Hailey Heinz won't write about standards and accountability in the senior administration, Gallagher will.
The Journal will tell the people what they really need to know in order to vote on school board seats, mill levies, and bond issues.
Right, and a pint of Häagen-Dazs serves four.
photos Mark Bralley
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