Let’s be clear. Yes, it is election time but this is not political. This is stating problems of great concern in
the community for some time of which NOTHING has been done to correct them by the APS School Board
and Administration. Unfortunately, they have become part of the problem as well. This cannot be
explained away as politics. You decide what actions you desire to take.
The Alamogordo School District is plagued on so many levels. The work environment is toxic. Employees
are intimidated and fearful. There is disparate treatment of all. Regulations are defied in the midst of
the “power game” going on. Teachers, Administrative employees, and everyone are moved about on a
chess board to secure the power. If you don’t agree with the nonsense going on, then your job is in
jeopardy. It becomes necessary to pretend in order to avoid the wrath and manipulations of a person in
authority who regularly runs roughshod over the employees. That is not how you manage operations!
Intimidation, fear, and disrespect of employees in order to demand their obedience is not appropriate or
healthy. This ends with employees dealing with cognitive dissonance. That is stress. If the Deputy
Superintendent of Operations, Colleen Tagle, believes her methods of disregarding people and
regulations in the moving of employees or forcing employees to quit to “create” the perfect control of
employees, she is sadly misguided. Why is this allowed? Regulations and laws are not to be broken.
What about moving employees like chess pieces? It is obvious there is no concern for regulations and
laws. Employees are totally disrespected with statements like “teachers are a dime a dozen.”
Unfortunately, they are not. NMSU had the lowest graduation rate of Education majors. People are not
wanting to be teachers anymore because of the condition of the schools. Why is that not a
consideration?
So who is allowing these actions to continue? Why isn’t anything being said or done about this blatant
disregard for employees? Are they afraid to correct the situation too? Don’t want the hard task of doing
what is right by having a normal work environment by showing some courage and integrity. It starts at
the top – APS School Board President, Judy Rabon, School Board members, Acting Superintendent, Pam
Renteria and the Deputy Superintendent of Operations, Colleen Tagle. It is common knowledge among
APS employees how many bodies are left in the wake of Tagle? How many more lawsuits do you want
that are caused by the actions of the ones in power? Instead of President, Judy Rabon, spending her
time consulting with the attorneys on retainer to see how close to the edge she can go (e.g. the coup to
take over the Presidency of the School Board) and refusing to talk with community members in a
discussion or just operating from a point of denial in the first place. Rabon has not learned a thing in her
time on the School Board. Let’s rephrase that…She has learned to protect herself but not solve the
major problems as discussed above.
When the first response to a problem is to deny or blame the person “complaining” that is not how to
solve issues; however, APS administration and School Board have chosen to take that path. It is
destructive and the results are visible and countable. They have no concerns about lawsuits because APS
liability insurance will cover the settlement payouts. It doesn’t come from their pockets. They are not
responsible; therefore, they feel no need to correct any issue from within. Every elected official is
supposed to carry a personal bond that covers their actions in office. That is how they were supposed to
be made accountable. Now, we in the community, are faced with “rogue” officials with misplaced
concerns of self-protection.
When does the insurance policy get canceled after too many lawsuits? Then what happens?
If there is a roof leak, do you ignore it while it continues to cause increasing damage to your home or
business? Absolutely not! Right now the Alamogordo Public Schools think they can ignore the hurricane
coming by moving employees around, finding ways to attach more money to their job descriptions to
“buy” them, and making employees behave by controlling and intimidating them. Oh yes, the “powers”
understand full well that teachers and employees have much at stake with their retirement years. That is
another method of control. The unequal or disparate treatment of employees is very visible and felt by
each one. If you have managed to move into the “special circle” then you are safe – for a period of time –
until you are not. Employees and teachers are “throwaways” and considered a means to an end for the
diabolical plans of the “powers.”
The APS School Board and Administrators are well aware of the problems. If by some chance they are
not, why not? That is their job to find out why so many are afraid and many have filed lawsuits with
many more to come, to be sure. There is a “trail of bodies” created under this leadership and allowed to
continue. The School Board President, Judy Rabon, has allowed the situation to continue wreaking havoc
on the teachers and employees. She could demand accountability, find out what is really going on
, and insist things change now. Unfortunately, she will probably call up the attorney and dig deeper
under the cover of self-protection instead of standing up and acting like someone who takes the elected
position seriously. The Board has ONE employee – the Superintendent. Judy Rabon needs to wake up and
look into and correct these major problems. They are right under her nose but perhaps she is too
invested in keeping things the way they are without regard to who and what she is responsible for
overseeing.
Leadership takes courage, critical thinking, awareness of situations, decision-making, and the realization
that perhaps not all facts are known or shared by those who are supposed to keep them informed but
are accountable too. Yes, people will not be honest if they are not following rules, regulations, and laws.
That is the first red flag. People who are dismissive and disrespectful to employees are another red flag.
People who have too much power and intimidate others with words or actions are yet another red flag. The
“indispensable” employee is a red flag. The person always wanting to be involved in everything and be
helpful to all – red flag. If the results lead to lawsuits – Big Red Flag. How many complaints/lawsuits have
been settled and not been filed in court?
It’s time to wake up, Judy Rabon. You wanted the power but have squandered each opportunity when you could have corrected major causes of problems. This is not a social club or a hobby but a major responsibility and accountability for an over $100 million dollar budget. No
company could survive with these horrendous happenings continuing at this accelerated rate. Take care of these serious problems, remove the major problem creators, or drop out of the election. You had your chance to improve the dire situation in APS but you have FAILED BY YOUR ACTIONS AND INACTIONS.
