Troubles at Alma d'Arte (Part II)

Embattled Alma d’arte Principal Adam Amador says he’s been in eight school districts in the past 12 years. Is that good or bad?

In Amador’s defense: he rose from a difficult childhood, including some ethnic prejudice, to earn a doctorate in education from NMSU; Alma had experienced years of difficulties before he arrived last year; and he’s improved the art program, I’m told.

However, . . .

Kids, parents, teachers, co-workers, and even a board member say he threatened or tried to bully them. Many claim Amador retaliated against them over even small differences. Amador has banned parents and former teachers from the school grounds. (A coworker in Lordsburg said Amador tried to ban her from his elementary school, before the superintendent told him he couldn’t.) Some workers have filed legal complaints and some families have consulted lawyers. Former board member Cynthia Wise characterized Alma’s environment under Amador as “Dictatorial. And hostile.”

For a year, Michele Trujillo has sought from Alma a special education plan for her diagnosed son. She so testified to the New Mexico Public Education Commission. Recently, Amador removed her son from class to a private area where an unidentified woman asked him whether his parents drank, or hit him, and other intrusive questions. Now he’s more scared to go to school. Amador won’t say why. He won’t even identify the woman. Trujillo has filed a grievance.

Teacher Kayla Myers, now with New America School, taught social studies at Alma d’arte. She worked with students on a state “Innovative Zone” grant that required student input. The students most wanted a social worker or psychologist. Some mental health professional. Students helped her write the grant and present it. They won the entire $200,000 grant, which was to hire a mental health professional, keep Ms. Myers at Alma, and help fund other needs. What a thrill that must have been for the students!

Amador vetoed the plan, for reasons unknown. Because it wasn’t his? Myers kept trying to discuss with him her employment situation. Amador kept ducking her, not returning calls. (Another source describes Amador and his assistant seeing Myers outside, hoping she wouldn’t come in, then Amador going into his office, to which Myers wouldn’t be admitted.) That stalling forced her to take a different job. “He ghosted me out of my job.” Leaving the kids she loved “broke my soul.”

One of her students was Malachi. He wanted the mental health pro, knowing he was often depressed. After Amador’s veto, Malachi told Myers it confirmed that adults just wouldn’t listen. “My voice doesn’t matter.” His mother has publicly blamed Amador for Malachi’s suicide, adding that Amador has bullied Malachi’s brother since. Alma still has no mental health pro. Amador reportedly banned Myers from Malachi’s vigil.

Early in my research, I visited Amador. (Without first advising me, he taped our conversation.) More recently, having learned more, I hoped to ask about parents’ specific complaints. My several messages were ignored.

Many question Amador’s commitment to truth-telling. Carlsbad High paid a $50,000 settlement to a parent who claimed Amador had defamed her. (To save space, I’ve moved details to my Sunday blog post.) I’ve observed or heard of an unusual number of situations where his account of something completely contradicts someone else’s. One recent example was startling.

Bottom line? Sadly, I’d bet on Amador to exacerbate Alma’s difficulties and earn some parents and former Alma teachers some financial compensation.

                                               – 30 --

 

[The above column appeared Sunday, 12May, 2024, in the Las Cruces Sun-News and will shortly be on the newspaper’s website and on KRWG’s website, under Local Viewpoints. A shortened and sharpened radio commentary version will air during the week on KRWG (90.1 FM) and on KTAL-LP (101.5 FM, streaming at www.lccommunityradio.org/). It’s the second in a series of two columns offering my opinion on Alma d’arte.  I have also posted a copy of an Alma boardmember's letter of resignation.]

[Researching these two columns was saddening.

Alma is a school. A special school. A school for kids who feel drawn to art. I’m talking to kids who go there or went there, and their parents, and folks who teach there or recently did, as well as others who care about the school.

To see it torn apart is no fun. I also met a few parents who are angry at the “Save Alma” group and simply want the noise to stop. They see that the controversy is divisive harming Alma in the public eye. They mostly support Dr. Amador. They didn’t approve of his calling the police after a board meeting, with one noting that calling the cops created another unappetizing headline about Alma and that the offense, use of profanity by a student at the meeting, was exercise of free speech. But they say he’s brought structure and increased resources, and they generally support him.

It was particularly strange one night to hear a student, right after a meeting, tell me that he had used to feel safe at Alma, despite his sexuality, but felt afraid of Amador, then be introduced to a half-dozen students who obviously appreciated Amador, with some saying that although they’d formerly felt bullied because of their sexuality, they felt safer under Amador. They may be the “favored group” of students that others complained about; but they sounded quite sincere to me. (I also wondered at kids’ capacity for bullying each other, which is no news, and about how much more vicious and hurtful that must be in a world where there’s more gender diversity than I could have imagined in those dark ages when I was 12 or 14.)

I also believe Amador would like to do the right thing. He wishes he were the genial, caring but stern principal he purports to be. I hope he grows into that potential version of himself.

However, I need to add the information about the Carlsbad incident I mentioned in the column. In Carlsbad, a parent complained unsuccessfully to Principal Amador, then to the school board, about his treatment of her son. Later, she heard that Amador was claiming she had called him “a dumb Mexican.” She stated she’d said no such thing. As a district judge, she’d have to be not only prejudiced but idiotic. Her son was standing in the kitchen with her during the call. (Sure, a son might perjure himself for Mom.)   She passed a lie detector test with an unusually high score. The school board paid mom $50,000 to avoid a trial verdict.   Amador still says she said it, “and a whole lot more before.” (He also told me he had offered to his lawyer that he would take a lie-detector test.)

Obviously I wasn’t there, and can’t know who’s telling the truth; but if I’d been on the Governing Council, I’d probably have tried to talk to someone, maybe the person who was head of the Carlsbad School Board during Amador’s year there, during the hiring process. (Ironically, two board members and the Carlsbad judge were all Republican candidates for office in 2022.)]

[To all the mothers of kids at Alma, or dismissed recently from Alma, here's hoping Mother's Day 2025 will feel more peaceful.]

[To wake up and see that it is May 12^th always make me smile. I can’t see this date without recalling that on May 12^th, 1956, when I was a nine-year-old kid who’d become obsessed with baseball the previous year, passionately rooting the beloved Brooklyn Dodgers to their first-eve World Series victory, my father took me to Ebbets Field for the first time. Carl Erskine pitched a no-hitter.  

I had no idea that the Dodgers would abandon us after the 1957 season, breaking our hearts, and that in 1960 the field would be demolished.]

Re: Alma d'Arte: a resignation letter

[ This post follows my recent Sunday column regarding Alma d'Arte and anticipates my next Sunday column, completing discussion of Alma.  The first discussed the board.  I can't fit documents into my 570-word Sunday columns, so here's a public document I gained access to that seems quite relevant to the discussion.  

It's the resignation letter, from Alma's Governing Council, of respected NMSU professor Cynthia Wise, who was the GC's VP.  It was effective four months ago.   I'll excerpt some passages first, and discuss them, then copy the whole thing into the body of the post.  Dr. Wise had joined the Governance Council in 2021.

With copies to Dr. Adam Amador and two NM Public Education Department officials, she wrote:

I can no longer be part of a Council and school whose leadership blatantly and willingly disregards Open Meetings rules, maintains and condones an antagonistic relationship with parents (going so far as to ban parents from the campus), and enacts policies that are in violation of existing state, Governing Council, and school policies resulting in the “voluntarily withdrawal” of a significant number of students.

That's strong language, and she goes on to discuss the facts supporting that language, and her concerns. 

Specifically, she provides evidence of the GC's disregard for details of the Open Meetings Act and proper procedure. 

She then adds, (a) that, knowing the bylaws required development and adoption of a strategic plan by the GC, the GC has repeatedly resisted doing that; (b) For two years, the finance committee has not made a report to the full GC -- and the membership of that committee hasn't been publicized to parents, citizens, or even the full GC; and (c) the chair (at that time, Kim Skaggs) violated a bylaw regarding professional and courteous conduct by mocking other board members who chose to abstain from voting on items.

Notably, too, she criticizes the failure to give kids  who are being "disenrolled" hearings, as required -- and notes that she's been told that more than 40 Alma students have suffered that fate.  

Much of this is consistent with what others have said during my investigation.

I should note that I inquired of one of the PED officials copied on the letter, seeking information on the Alma GC's obligations, and she said that the GC is in process of correcting information regarding changes in the board and that four of the six have completed their required training and the other two are working on that.  Also, more recent postings of minutes and agendae appear to include backup, such as the actual items being voted on. ]

The full letter is:

To: Kimberly Skaggs (president)
CC: Dr. Adam Amador, Alma d’arte
CC: Melissa Brown, NMPED
CC: Martica Davis, NMPED
From: Dr. Cynthia Wise (vice-president)
Date:  December 20, 2023
Re: Resignation

 

Kimberly,

It is only after considerable thought, prayer and with heavy heart that I submit my resignation from the Alma d’arte Governing Council (GC). Pursuant to the bylaws the effective date is January 22^nd, 2024 – the date of our next regularly scheduled meeting.

I can no longer be part of a Council and school whose leadership blatantly and willingly disregards Open Meetings rules, maintains and condones an antagonistic relationship with parents (going so far as to ban parents from the campus), and enacts policies that are in violation of existing state, Governing Council, and school policies resulting in the “voluntarily withdrawal” of a significant number of students.

Concerns:

·         More than once, I’ve raised an issue about meetings not being properly posted (see Article III of the Governing Council by-laws). The Council has been told by the CAO that the school (administration) doesn’t have access to the Alma d’arte webpage – yet failed to present the council with a proposal to adopt an emergency policy regarding public notices, nor an emergency plan to reinstate the website.  Issues with the website have been raised by the GC to the current and previous CAO for more than two years without resolution. We were told by the current CAO that “people” (not necessarily the public) were referred to the school’s social media sites where notices were to be posted… but even that hasn’t occurred consistently. Most recently the council was told the school does not have access to those sites either, even though the CAO managed to quickly post something saying a meeting was occurring the night of the 11^th approximately 4 hours before the meeting (outside the legal requirement). Agendas weren’t posted pursuant to the act and haven’t been for months. Those people who did attend the meeting were not provided supporting documents though, in recent meetings we’ve been asked to approve policies that impact students, staff and parents. We’ve been told parents get the information via email – but in the very same breath we’re told parents are not responding to emails. Additional, public comment has been reduced by the president from 3 minutes to 2 minutes per speaker further limiting parental engagement with the board. This was done without discussion with the whole Council. When a special meeting was called for January 8^th and asked about the ability to put a notice in the newspaper of record – I was countered with the price of such a notice.

·         In June I advised the CAO and the Council of the need to hold public hearings regarding school discipline and attendance policies (see emails dated 5/20/23 & 6/27/23 - Section 22-5-4.3 NMSA 1978). No such policies have been presented to the Council for changes. And, even though the CAO sent an email to parents on 12/4/23 with the attendance policy adopted by the GC 11/3/20, the administration has been voluntarily withdrawing students (we have been told more than 40) in direct conflict with this policy. Even when parents emailed the GC regarding this issue and supporting documentation, the president failed to schedule a public hearing.

·         On December 8^th, the GC was presented a student handbook for approval at the December 11^th meeting. It was put on the agenda as an action item, not an item for public comment. The handbook, which we’d been told the CAO had been working on since July (and had been a floating item on the GC calendar for months), was unchanged from the 2017-2018 handbook – so much so that it still included a welcome letter from a former interim principal who had not been at the school in more than 4 years. The handbook contains several discrepancies and policies that conflict with others being proposed and some already enacted by the CAO absent of GC approval.

·         I am concerned that despite a review of the GC bylaws on at least two occasions over the past three years, the Council has not developed nor adopted a strategic plan (see Article I of the bylaws). In fact, to my knowledge, there has not been a strategic planning committee appointed since I took office in August 2021.

·         The finance committee has not made a report to the full GC in at least two years. The membership of that committee has also not been made public, even to the full GC.

·         Finally, I call your attention to that section of the bylaws regarding conduct: “All members of each GC committee shall conduct themselves in a professional manner with courtesy and respect toward each other and toward all who have business with the committee.”  On more than one occasion I and other/previous members of the council have been disrespected and ridiculed when I/they chose to abstain from voting on an item. Not only was this tolerated by the chair, it was perpetrated by the chair.

 

I joined the Alma d’arte Governing Council with a sincere desire to help improve the school and the academic performance of Alma’s students who come from already marginalized backgrounds. Unfortunately, I feel I can no longer be effective.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Cynthia Wise, PhD
Alma d’arte Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

Troubles at Alma d'Arte (Part I)

          After a long public hearing, the New Mexico Public Education Commission accused the popular, art-centered charter school Alma d’arte of breach of contract, and placed it on an “Intervention Ladder” that could lead to closing the school, absent strong corrective action.

          Alma Chief Academic Officer Adam Amador told a student assembly that the PEC was “biased.” (He ignored my repeated calls seeking to discuss this.)

Commissioners were startled by the Governing Council’s superficiality and ignorance. When the GC president couldn’t identify Alma’s “test coordinator,” commissioners called that “alarming,” adding that each board meeting should include a report by the test coordinator and critical questioning by the GC.

The PEC’s letter reamed out the GC for inadequate reporting and “unsatisfactory performance” regarding: low academic proficiency rates, lack of growth in reading, and low graduation rates; and handling students with disabilities, students’ rights, staff credentialing, employee rights, and fiscal management.

            Alma has had years of poor administration, even embezzlement. It’s seen the Intervention Ladder before. An experienced educator got it somewhat back on track, as acting principal, but chose to remain retired. All agree the principal before Amador just wasn’t up to the job. And stopped doing it while still there. Then Amador’s hiring was controversial.

The GC not only seems unfamiliar or uncomfortable with some of its responsibilities and required procedures, but is somewhat insular, not very diverse, and short on folks with extensive experience or expertise in art or education. In an arts-focused school where many students and staff are LBGTQ, the GLC’spresident and immediate past-president, are highly active in a political party that has frequently disfavored or disapproved of unconventional genders or sexuality. Several incidents seemed to show that discomfort.

The PEC reamed out the GC for abandoning public input (which the GC immediately restored) and lacking an appropriate grievance procedure for parents and students. Those are particularly urgent when Dr. Amador has in various ways dismissed or driven out teachers, “involuntarily disenrolled” numerous students, banned from school grounds or threatened some parents, and even called the police. Even assuming all his actions were justified, or justifiable, they’ve caused a storm of pain and anger. A strong parents’ group has been so highly critical of recent actions, and of Amador, that there’s a non-violent (verbal) civil war ongoing. Absent a fair grievance procedure, naturally that makes public comment rather brutal for the GC.

The GC has experienced rapid turnover and reportedly hasn’t kept state authorities fully informed. The GC seems to have repeatedly violated best transparency practices and even the Open Meetings Act. Parents complain of a period when the website was down, and meetings weren’t announced sufficiently in advance; but, before and after that time, meeting notices appear highly defective. Unlike with most public bodies, neither the agendae nor the minutes, as posted, contain the contracts and policies to be discussed and decided. Documents say, “see attached,” with no attachment. Remarkably, I’m told that in recent memory GLC-members often received contracts on the meeting day – or not at all, without asking specially! The by-laws say they should receive such materials 72-hours in advance, as the public should. How could a parent or teacher comment meaningfully on the new “see attached” policy or evaluate an invisible, unattached contract?

Whether this is woeful ignorance or a complete disregard for state laws, it’s not effective administration of Alma for students. [Next week’s column looks deeper into Alma’s current situation.]

– 30 --

[The above column appeared Sunday, 5May, 2024, in the Las Cruces Sun-News and on the newspaper's website and on KRWG’s website, under Local Viewpoints. A shortened and sharpened radio commentary version will air during the week on KRWG (90.1 FM) and on KTAL-LP (101.5 FM, streaming at www.lccommunityradio.org/).]

[This is a tough story to tell. It has involved lots of talking to people, attendance at Alma Governing Council meetings, and watching a couple of hours of a NM Public Education Commission meeting. (Listening to commissioners discuss Alma and other issues, I heard questions and comments that suggested commissioners knew the field and cared about educating kids and saving schools.) Two quotes that didn’t fit into the column’s word-limit: PEC Chair Patricia Gipson, who lives here in Las Cruces, stated to me, “This tugs at my heart strings because Alma d’Arte has been such an important part of our community.” Irene Oliver Lewis, who largely founded the school, didn’t take sides, but said “Alma is about looking for the good in everyone.”

Working on this has taken an emotional toll, too. Some people’s careers, and other’s education (or the education of their children) are being strongly affected. There’s even been a suicide by an Alma student, whose mother clearly holds Dr. Amador responsible. All that amounts to a lot of material to sift through, trying to be fair to all concerned, and exposure to a lot of deep feelings. Those feelings push a columnist to look deeper, trying to get it right.]

[Regarding the failure to provide contracts and other materials with the agendas for board meetings, a search of agendae and minutes on-line suggests that this problem has been corrected.]

[I don’t wish to exaggerate or to ignore the irony of Alma’s Governing Council being solidly Republican. The large representation of LGBTQ students and staff makes it relevant. In 2022, Board Chair Richelle Peugh-Swofford, Vice-President and immediate Past-President Kimberly Skaggs, and recently-departed board member Zeke Rodriguez all ran for the state legislature.

Peugh-Swofford’s husband, Martin Swofford, is also on the GC. That would sound somewhat odd, whatever their party. Every time Skaggs and her husband have cocktails with the Peugh-Swoffords, it could be an illegal meeting of a quorum. We hope they don’t discuss Alma.]

[I don’t know how these folks feel in their hearts about gay folks and trans folks. Skaggs strongly supported far-right former Congressperson Yvette Herrell, who warned us that gay marriage threatens the nuclear family “as we know it,” voted against a bipartisan bill to protect marriage equality, and signed onto seeking to impose an abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or to save the life of the pregnant woman.

Skaggs is so intent on moving New Mexico toward her views, that she’s run for the state legislature each of the last three elections, and in 2022 she supplied most of the campaign funding for conservative Las Cruces school board candidate Joseph Sousa. Sousa raised $5,400 in four donations, two of which, for $2,500 each, were from Skaggs and her company.. Other than Skaggs, Sousa received about $400 from two other donors. Skaggs has money and uses it to push policies unsympathetic to the lives of many Alma students. She has, of course, every right to do so.]

[I hope the foregoing is not unfair to Skaggs. I did try to talk with her about this.]