APS’ Maestas showing leadership, accountability

Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education President Analee Maestas has shown restraint, professionalism, leadership and accountability in dealing with a difficult issue.

Rather than take to social media or stage a public meeting showdown — or take the easiest way out by simply ignoring it — when fellow board member Kathy Korte violated protocol by reprimanding a district employee rather than going through the superintendent, Maestas crafted a calm but firm letter also signed by the other two members of the board’s executive committee — Vice President Don Duran and Secretary Steven Michael Quezada. In it they clearly laid out the appropriate channels for expressing concerns about employee conduct as well as guidelines for professional conduct that must be observed going forward.

“When the communications are threatening or intimidating toward fellow Board members or APS employees, as we believe these latest emails were, they undermine the ability of the Board to work in harmony for the good of the district,” the letter says in part. It refers to two emails Korte sent to district spokeswoman Monica Armenta criticizing her and holding up the specter of legal action by an employee who reports to Armenta.

The emails were wrong on several levels, though board member Lorenzo Garcia says the letter wasn’t necessary and board member David Peercy calls the situation “not a big deal.” But it is.

Joe Guillen, executive director of the New Mexico School Boards Association, says “the only employee that the board has is the superintendent” and it’s better for board members to address concerns with specific employees through the superintendent. Board member Marty Esquivel says it’s vital employees know the board should not and will not place them in a similar situation. And it’s just not helpful to tell district employees you have counseled their subordinates to seek “legal counsel” against them and you plan to contact the Attorney General’s Office.

APS employees should be grateful Maestas and the executive committee acted quickly, decisively and professionally to let them know they don’t answer directly to individual members of the elected board and to keep the district focused on improving the education of its students.