Crying time at TMS

Rewriting History

The honorary plaque, pictured, is one of those examples of “cognitive dissonance,” wherein an individual or group of people believes in an idea that defies experience, the evidence, and the historical record. The responsibility for the building at Enos Garcia, for which the current school board and superintendent take credit, belongs to the prior board: Mike Torrez, Patrick Romero, Roy Martinez, Lorraine Coca-Ruiz, and Arsenio Cordova. The Superintendent at the time, who promoted the tax-supported bond for construction, was Loretta DeLong. The principal at Enos Garcia Elementary School was Nadine Vigil. While Quinton Wood was head of buildings and grounds, the neglect of the buildings that necessitated the passage of the tax, was largely his responsibility. The names on the plaque, current board members, superintendent, and principal rewrite the history of the last two or three years.

The attempt to rewrite history exemplifies the attitude of politicians and bureaucrats, who take credit for anything anywhere. Both the tax increase and construction plans were in effect before any of the current board members were elected and before Superintendent Rod Weston was even in the state. As for board President Thomas “Chuby” Tafoya, once elected, he debated the attempts by the board to follow best practices in hiring Parsons to manage the project.

Apparently, the “Peter Principle” is at work in the career of Chuby Tafoya. The GED grad and Springer’s Boys Home vet, who ushered the Democratic Party of Taos into oblivion, and has, allegedly, turned TMS into a depressing environment for teachers and students, is being rewarded for his work by a quiescent public. Perhaps the plaque is a sign of further political ambition–running for Town Council or perhaps Mayor. Only Chuby could make the current Mayor look good (in spite of his Honor’s attempted multi-million dollar give away to the local Coop).

Below, see how the majority of school board members are reacting to union support by lowering teachers’ salaries and increasing the work load. And Weston, who is doing the dirty work for the board, will be replaced soon enough by a more compatible Super. Speculation is that Rose Martinez, Director of Instruction, is in line for the Super’s job.

Work More For Less

By Lorraine Coca-Ruiz

At the August 23, 2011 regular meeting of the Taos Municipal Schools board (TMS), Mary Ann McCann, TMS nutrition program coordinator, gave a 30-minute report on nutrition, healthier eating options and healthier foods. While she was giving her report the fire department personnel were inspecting the new addition at the Enos Garcia elementary school. While inspecting the kitchen area, they found ground meat thawing out on a table in a supply room. The room was hot and the flies couldn’t resist the meat or a pot of chili sitting there. Thawing frozen food on the counter on the open leads to salmonella. What in the world are we really feeding our kids?

Back at the meeting, during the “Public Comment” period, six teachers spoke up about the request from Superintendent Rod Weston who wants to decrease salaries by 5% while increasing the workday by one hour. Weston cancelled the previously proposed and passed1.5 % cut and issued checks. Weston’s action—canceling the 1.5% by fiat–was not part of the approved budget; nor was it on the agenda for board approval. Is it legal?

Evidently a previous meeting was held between the Superintendent and teachers, where Weston asked teachers to work an hour extra for no additional pay. Teachers vociferously opposed the proposed budget cuts and the increased workload at the Aug. 23 meeting.

School personnel are operating in an environment of fear and state of powerlessness right now.

To sum up, Superintendent Weston is cutting an additional 3.5 %–beyond the previous 1.5% cut in the budget mandate–from teacher salaries and adding more children to over-crowed classrooms. What happens to the custodians and the cafeteria workers, who are affected by the newly proposed 5% cut in their wages–a huge chunk in lost pay?

Will the employees (administrative staff) at CRAB hall get a one-hour of extra duty time and a 5% salary cut? Currently, some CRAB hall employees take all the leave they want for personal reasons and come to work after 8:00 am. Does anyone document his or her arrival and departure times? (No wonder they resisted the idea of time clocks!)

The bus contractors voiced their concerns at the Aug. 23 meeting. Some have not received their checks and have been using other sources of income to buy fuel for their buses. The director of transportation was not at the meeting to answer questions.

For four years the previous TMS board warned the staff about the growing economic crisis. Yet the finance director continues to develop an incremental budget each year, using the previous budget as a base. TMS does not use a zero-based budget system that that examines the entire budget–not just proposed line-item increases. It’s an ad hoc or crisis management approach.

For months I have been saying that the other shoe is going to fall off. The current cuts are being made on the backs of students. Through state reimbursement, the students bring in the bacon; administrators eat it up. Salaries and benefits together make up a whopping 79 percent of the overall school budget.

Weston went with “The Chuby Plan” and pink slipped 37 employees meaning that now TMS as employer pays unemployment compensation. Did the TMS unemployment rates rise? According to reliable sources the district is juggling accounts, mixing up budget line items, operating less like a government entity and more like a proprietorship.

The schools will sustain an additional cut in the budget this coming year. The bottom line – is less money for education. The board should be straightforward, open and discuss the future of our children and grandchildren with the public. Why does the board hide from the complex challenges behind the passive-aggressive stance of the Superintendent?

The children need a better education and more resources i.e. proper funding. By educating our children the board and administrators will be giving back to the community.

I’ll be watching