Albuquerque Public School Crimes (lawyer, home, school district)

[Mike Horrell]

I wonder exactly what legal recourse the city has over APS' ongoing train crash?

In many jurisdictions, the state, county or city has the right to declare a public emergency
and take direct management control over the school system. I would assume that's true here.

I think that should have been done over "ScheduleGate" once it was apparent that Brooks wasn't
really going to do much to resolve the problem and had no intention of actually holding his pet
principal accountable for the disaster she created.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by Mike Horrell

... Brooks ... his pet principal ...

ObSnort:
At least you don't have to worry about their rate of pay. They are
very well compensated. I think that's important for people who
basically have a cushy job in government and/or the bureaucracy.

It's important to have the best-connected people in those positions.

< Snort! >

[Nedely]

Originally Posted by karmathecat

But back to the guy who propositioned the child for sex...

I just read that he is actually employed as an education assistant and volunteers as the assistant basketball coach.

An education assistant for SPECIAL ED KIDS.

An again I have to ask, with the employment situation what it is, how the heck does a 19 year old kid get a position like this? Was there no one out there who has the necessary educational requirement ( which the APS site says "may be waived" ) who was looking for a job like this? Who has the maturity level to remember that he's not working with his peers ( he's quoted saying that he often forgets he's hanging out with 14-15 yr old kids ) and the self-restraint not to grab a 14 year old girl's head and shove it into someone's crotch?

To be an educational assistant you have to have either 48 college credits, or pass a Paraeducator test. You have to be at least 18, and pass a background check. Any individual who has the credit or passes the test, and passes a background check, and who's references all check out, will be given the go ahead by the district to apply for any open EA position. The principal at a school will then request an individual to be employed at their school, but APS is the one with the final say. That said, if there is no criminal record, it's difficult for the person doing the hiring to know that "that potential candidate sitting over there" is a sick creep. Unless they're some psychic with tarot cards and a crystal ball. Maybe.

Just sayin'

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by Nedely

. That said, if there is no criminal record, it's difficult for the person doing the hiring to know that "that potential candidate sitting over there" is a sick creep. Unless they're some psychic with tarot cards and a crystal ball. Maybe.

Just sayin'

That's why you have interviews...

Most creeps come off as creeps even when they're trying to be normal..

Maybe ESPECIALLY when they are trying to be normal.

[Nedely]

Originally Posted by Mike Horrell

That's why you have interviews...

Most creeps come off as creeps even when they're trying to be normal..

Maybe ESPECIALLY when they are trying to be normal.

EA's have job interviews. They interview with the principal at a school. The principal then requests the applicant, human resources calls the applicant, and once they accept, they return to APS to finish up the hiring process. That's when they do their fingerprints and submit their paperwork to the state for their license. The final step is returning to human resources to sign some papers, and agree on a start date.

An interview doesn't guarantee a person will be "found out". This kid is likely a sociopath more interested in sex crimes than actual killing. Some paths can be quite good at masking their true identity. Even from their superiors.

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by Nedely

EA's have job interviews.

Of course that assumes that APS actually exercises any judgment rather than just blindly
filling out paperwork.

[Poncho_NM]

January 21, 2011
ALBUQUERQUE

The mother of an autistic child said she wasn't notified for days after her son was allegedly kicked by an Albuquerque Public Schools educational assistant. She got a call Friday from her child's principal at Seven Bar Elementary on Albuquerque's west side saying that her son had been kicked by a teacher's aid. The mother said "I want to press charges, and I want her behind bars.". Police said they are investigating the alleged incident. The entire story: Teacher's Aide Kicked Autistic Boy, Mom Says - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque (http://www.koat.com/news/26578215/detail.html - broken link)

[marmom]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

January 21, 2011
ALBUQUERQUE

The mother of an autistic child said she wasn't notified for days after her son was allegedly kicked by an Albuquerque Public Schools educational assistant. She got a call Friday from her child's principal at Seven Bar Elementary on Albuquerque's west side saying that her son had been kicked by a teacher's aid. The mother said "I want to press charges, and I want her behind bars.". Police said they are investigating the alleged incident. The entire story: Teacher's Aide Kicked Autistic Boy, Mom Says - Albuquerque News Story - KOAT Albuquerque (http://www.koat.com/news/26578215/detail.html - broken link)

There seems to be at least a small trend with problematic educational assistants. Two incidents in one week. And why the heck was this person who kicked a child put on PAID administrative leave???

Maybe they should increase the pay as well as the qualifications. According to the APS salary schedule the entry level annual pay for an educational assistant is $13k. Hardly enough to live on. Even though it is arguably a decent hourly wage, it's not going to attract the highest quality job candidates.

Working with children is challenging. Working with children who have disabilities is even more challenging. We need good, qualified people in these positions.

[Mike Horrell]

Originally Posted by marmom

Working with children is challenging. Working with children who have disabilities is even more challenging. We need good, qualified people in these positions.

You're very unlikely to see much improvement. Even if APS was to change direction and
begin to acknowledge its problems, there is now no money for either increased or improved
staffing.

Yet APS thought it was just fine and dandy to sell $35M in bonds for a new sports facility
when the budget crisis was already large upon the horizon. That's a lot of principle and
interest being paid out to investors that could have been used to actually improve academics.

[marmom]

Originally Posted by Mike Horrell

You're very unlikely to see much improvement. Even if APS was to change direction and
begin to acknowledge its problems, there is now no money for either increased or improved
staffing.

True. I heard they currently have a hiring freeze. It's a sad state of affairs. Hopefully it will improve eventually.