Working for the Broken Man: Part I

The outcry is shrill, relentless and unwavering: the Albuquerque Public School District sucks. It's such common knowledge that it's unnecessary to find examples of this universal outcry in action. The District sucks and, well, we all just know. It's a given. But, what the Hell, let's throw a recent example or two of this outcry in action.

Example #7,567,842: Feudal Prince Marty has decreed that "APS is Broken". This bold statement is typical of FP Marty's "leadership" in which he attacks complicated subjects in the most simplistic manner possible. Lots of drunks fighting all over town....close the Blue Spruce. Kids under 21 having crimes committed at downtown concerts....stop all-ages shows altogether. FP Marty's solution for APS is to have FP Marty control the APS School Board through Mayoral appointments. In true APS School Board spirit, he's also hired a $70,000 a year lobbyist to rally the cause of city control over APS.

That Feudal Prince Marty, always attacking the powerful and mighty, in this case the giant pro-APS School Board lobby. My guess is that a survey conducted to gauge public support for various institutions would go something like this:

Level of public support by percentage:

3%: Those in favor of drunks fighting/killing each other all over town
.01%: Those favoring crimes committed against those under 21
.00000001%: Those who view the APS School Board favorably

Example #7,567,843: In related news, Duke City Fix and Alblogguerque poster Johnny Mango delivers a body blow to APS Superintendent Beth Everitt and gets universal support. Evidently Superintendent Everitt ranks somewhere between "those favoring crimes against teenagers" and the APS School Board in terms of public support.


So there you have it, two more examples of the public outcry that APS sucks. Which leads to me, as I have learned is true for all things.

I teach in the Albuquerque Public Schools. I, therefore, am a working participant in a district that "is broken", ridiculed and just about universally despised. Why would I do such a thing? How can I sleep at night knowing that I'm part and parcel of a broken, despised system? Where do I get the nerve to ruin student's lives by providing a substandard education over and over again?

Good questions...but I see that we have run out of time. Sorry, but at least this way the posts are shorter. Later today I'll ineffectually try to answer the questions in the previous paragraph and maybe add a little perspective on the whole "District" question. Not to be like those loathsome local news 9:45 P.M. teasers, but "tune in later tonight for news you'll only get on Four". Yeah, I'm making myself sick even typing that last sentence...but c'mon back around this evening. Or not. It's your Internet.