Even the political big dogs could not convince the Las Cruces school board to add Charles White to its list of superintendent finalists Tuesday evening.
Among the 10 people who asked the board to include White were State Rep. Joni Gutierrez, New Mexico State University College of Education Dean Robert Moulton, former Las Cruces school board member Patsy Duran and former State Board of Education member Francis Stevens, who was also the deputy superintendent in Las Cruces in the early 1990s.
After listening to their pleas, the board adjourned without comment.
White, the district’s former deputy superintendent for operations, was the only local named a semifinalist for the top job. The board eliminated him last week from consideration.
But with news that finalist Tony Amato was taking a job in Kansas City, and that two other finalists were up for the top schools job in Aurora, Colo., the board met again Tuesday.
The situation in Las Cruces ended up not being further complicated by the Aurora search. That district named its superintendent Tuesday night, and the choice was not one of the finalists in Las Cruces.
The new list of finalists for the Las Cruces job, approved at Tuesday’s meeting, includes David Barbosa, superintendent for the Grand Prarie (Texas) Independent School District; Sonia Diaz, former superintendent of the Bridgeport (Connecticut) Public Schools; William Harner, principal of Gainesville Middle School in Gainseville, Ga., and Joan Kowal, Florida’s Nova Southeastern University Superintendent in Residence.
At the meeting, Duran told board members they had “lost enormous credibility” by not including White.
“We don’t have time to try out a leader to see if he or she fits,” she said. “We need a leader who can go to work tomorrow.”
Board member Gene Gant was absent from the meeting and did not vote on the new finalist list. Only Chuck Davis voted against the list, and he said he did so because “I do not believe that the set of candidates reflects what the community and our employees would like to see.”
“I think we ought to have a local candidate be part of the process,” Davis said. “Though I don’t necessarily endorse that candidate, I think he should be part of the process.”
White was a tough but fair negotiator with the unions and during employee disputes. He has the backing of the district’s principals and the teachers’ union. Many believe he can restore calm and stabilize the district after two of the last three superintendents left in scandal.
Davis was the only board member to comment at the meeting, though one parent asked the others to resign, and many speakers attacked them.
The 75 people in attendance cheered after each White supporter spoke.
“Look at him, please,” said Moulton, who said he was giving his opinion as an individual, not the education dean at NMSU.
Helen Davis, a teacher and wife of Chuck Davis, reminded board members that they asked for public input.
“Are you going to ignore it? You have people pouring out their hearts to you. They’ve been pouring out their hearts since this process began,” she said.
The most touching moment of the evening came when Ellen Sage, a former teacher at Hermosa Heights Elementary, recalled a time that administrators were invited to read one-on-one with young children at the school. She said White was one of only two administrators who did, and he came several times.
“His words, as best I remember, were, ‘Administrators should do this more often. It reminds us of why we’re here,’” she said.
Gutierrez spoke last.
“You have just been told by all these people, and I’m sure a lot more, that they will help you succeed,” she told board members. “… If it were me, I would say, ‘You know what? These people are the keys to my success, so I’m going to listen to them.’ Let these people help you be successful.”
The board plans to hold a public reception Thursday at Las Cruces High School beginning at 6 p.m. so community members can meet the candidates, who will all be present and will give public statements beginning at 7 p.m. The board will meet Friday to attempt to select the new superintendent.
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Embattled District Judge Larry Ramirez received a warm reception this weekend from a group of Democrats that included Gov. Bill Richardson.
During a fundraiser in Las Cruces for Patricia Madrid, who is trying to unseat Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., Richardson was acknowledging people in the crowd. A source tells me he heaped some extremely generous praise on Ramirez and his accomplishments, and the approximately 60 people in attendance broke out in applause to honor the Las Cruces children’s court judge.
Ramirez is currently waiting for the New Mexico Supreme Court to rule on a petition for immediate, temporary suspension while the Judicial Standards Commission investigates allegations that he engaged in an ongoing pattern of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments.
Ramirez is already on judicial probation following an incident in which he inappropriately hushed a defense attorney in court and another incident in which he admitted to improperly involving himself in is son’s alcohol-citation case.
There have been two prior investigations by the Administrative Office of the Courts into Ramirez’s conduct. One found in 2004 that sexual harassment had occurred, and Ramirez had to undergo counseling and sexual harassment training. Months later, the second found that Ramirez had engaged in improper conduct in the courtroom, leading to him being reassigned away from the juvenile drug court.
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Corrections Secretary Joe Williams was suspended without pay by the governor Monday after the Albuquerque Journal reported that he used his government cell phone to make more than 600 calls in five months to a woman who registered as a state lobbyist.
The Journal told an extensive and convincing story indicating that Williams had some sort of personal relationship with the woman and may have misused tax dollars in the pursuit of that relationship.
This comes after the February resignation of New Mexico State Police Chief Carlos Maldonado, who allegedly left over a relationship he was having with a married, female legislator.
How often does this happen in state government? There need to be better checks on those who hold top the state’s top positions.
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The Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting that 0.5 percent of Doña Ana County residents have voted thus far in the primary election. Come on, people. Get out and vote.
And come back tomorrow for more news and analysis. Thanks for reading!
An earlier version of this posting had “phased,” not “fazed,” in the headline.