Episode 718 - Education reform

>> COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ARE AMONG THE TOPICS, THE NATION'S SCHOOL LEADERS ARE DISCUSSING THIS WEEK HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE AT COUNCIL OF THE GREAT CITY SCHOOLS, 57TH BALL CONFERENCE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. IT IS SPONSORED BY ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO PUT APS IN THE NEWS, BUT THAT SPOTLIGHT IS ECLIPSED BY THE FEUD GOING ON BETWEEN APS AND STATE'S PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. A FLIER PUT OUT BY THE ORGANIZATION, NEW MEXICO COMPETES, BLASTED APS SUPERINTENDENT WINSTON BROOKS FOR OPPOSING THE ADMINISTRATION'S NEW SYSTEM TO EVALUATE TEACHERS. MR. BROOKS FIRED BACK, SAYING HE BELIEVES THE MAILERS ARE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND MISGUIDED AND JUST YESTERDAY, A TWEET OF AN IMAGE SHOWING GOVERNOR MARTINEZ AND EDUCATION SECRETARY SKANDERA WITH FANGS. "SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF EDUCATION," WAS THE SIGN THAT WENT WITH IT, RE-TWEETED BY MR. BROOKS, AN ACTION THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE CALLED INAPPROPRIATE. A DAY DOESN'T GO BY WITHOUT NEW INCIDENT MAKING THE NEWS. JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND OTHER NEWS IS NEWLY MINTED ATTORNEY, SOPHIE MARTIN. OTHER LINE REGULARS, DAN FOLEY, FORMER REPUBLICAN WHIP OF THE STATE HOUSE. JOINED BY GUEST, OUR GOOD FRIEND TRACY DINGMANN, BOARD MEMBER WITH NEW MEXICO IN DEPTH, FAVORITE PUBLICATION OF MINE, AND ANTOINETTE SEDILLO LOPEZ IS BACK. TRACY, PROTESTS OVER STANDARDIZED TESTS, PED SAYS LESS THAT 1% OF CLASSROOM HOURS ARE SPENT TAKING THESE TEST. TEACHERS SAY THAT IS NOT THE POINT. IT IS THE TIME SPENT TEACHING TO THE TESTS THAT TAKES AWAY FROM LEARNING OTHER THINGS. LET'S GET TO THIS FRICTION. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS, I WANT TO GET TO THE MAILER. A LOT OF FOLKS GOT THIS IN THEIR MAILBOX, HERE IT IS RIGHT HERE. >> WINSTON BROOKS MISLEADING THE PUBLIC, TO BLOCK EDUCATION REFORM. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, IS THIS MAN RUNNING FOR VOTES OR MONEY? IF HE ISN'T, WHY ARE THESE THINGS IN OUR MAILBOX? >> HE HAS QUITE A TARGET ON HIS BACK. THEY ARE REALLY GOING AFTER HIM. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON TWITTER AND THERE IS A LOT GOING ON ON TWITTER AND I KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE WINSTON BROOKS RE-TWEETS BUT THERE IS A LOT OF ATTACKS, I MEAN, JUST OUT AND OUT ATTACKS AND I KIND OF WISH -- >> ATTACKS BY WHO? >> BY SOME ANONYMOUS PEOPLE ACTUALLY. I KIND OF WISH, A GROWN-UP WOULD STEP UP ON TWITTER AND SAY, COME ON, LET'S STOP CALLING NAMES, LET'S STOP CALLING FOR PEOPLES' INDICTMENTS, STOP INVESTIGATIONS, AND, IT IS KIND OF CRAZY. I THINK THE RHETORIC IS REALLY OVERHEATED AND, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO POLICING ON TWITTER AND THERE SHOULDN'T, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT, YOU KNOW, LATE AT NIGHT, I READ FOR SHEER ENTERTAINMENT VALUE. >> THAT IS RIGHT. SOPHIE, NEW MEXICO COMPETES IS THE GROUP THAT PUT THIS OUT, 501C4 NON-PARTISAN GROUP -- >> DID YOU SAY NON-PARTISAN? >> NON-PARTISAN. HOWEVER, WE KNOW HOW WHO IS BEHIND THIS ISSUE. DOES THIS MAKE FOR SOME KIND OF CONFLICT IN SOME WAY? SARAH LISTER AND SOME OTHER FOLKS, BIG IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE MARTINEZ FOLKS, THEY PEELED OFF, DOING THIS. PAT ROGERS IS A BOARD MEMBER, EX-FOG MEMBER. WE KNOW THE NAMES. IS THERE A CONNECTION HERE BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THESE FOLKS? >> JUST TO BE CLEAR, IN THE ORGANIZATION OF A 501C4 IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE GROUP KEEP ITS ACTIVITIES SEPARATE FROM THE ACTIVITIES, SAY, OF GOVERNOR MARTINEZ' ADMINISTRATION OR HER ELECTION. BUT, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 501C4 ARE IDENTIFIED AS HIGH PROFILE REPUBLICANS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH GOVERNOR MARTINEZ PERSONALLY, OR WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OR WITH HER ADMINISTRATION. BUT, AGAIN IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THOSE TWO BE KEPT SEPARATE LEGALLY FOR IRS PURPOSES, ET CETERA. OPTICS AREN'T GOOD. THE WAY THAT IT LOOKS ISN'T GOOD. CERTAINLY, THIS GROUP HAS, AT THIS POINT, A PATTERN OF GOING AFTER TARGETS THAT IT MAYBE DOESN'T HURT THE GOVERNOR THAT THOSE TARGETS HAVE BEEN TARGETED. >> ANTOINETTE, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS THE RIGHT TO PUT OUT ITS POSITION ON THESE THINGS. NOBODY WOULD ARGUE THAT. AT THIS TABLE OR ANYPLACE ELSE. IS THIS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT? THAT IS THE QUESTION. I AM HEARING FROM A LOT OF FOLKS, FOLKS FEEL LIKE, THIS CORRODES. >> I FEEL IT IS JUST REALLY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TALKING LIKE IF THEY HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVE TO IMPROVE EDUCATION, WHY DIVERT THAT GOAL? WHY NOT HAVE EVERYBODY KIND OF FOCUS ON THE GOAL AND FIND COMMON GROUND INSTEAD OF MAKING AN ENEMY OUT OF WINSTON BROOKS? I THINK IT MAY BE TIED TO POLLING THEY DID, WHO IS POPULAR AND WHO IS NOT. NOTICE THE POLLING THEY DID, WHERE THEY FOUND WINSTON BROOKS' APPROVAL RATING WAS PRETTY LOW, COMPARED TO THE GOVERNOR. LOOK WHAT THEY ARE DOING. SORT OF LIKE THEY ARE ATTACKING THE WEAK LINK. I FIND IT REALLY DISAPPOINTING INSTEAD OF WORKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE, THEY DO THIS? I MEAN, IT IS JUST NOT RESPONSIBLE. >> DAN, I WANT TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION. UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF ALL THIS IS A CONTINUING CONVERSATION OR NOT BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION AND FOLKS IN EDUCATION COMMUNITY. I THINK ABOUT MS. SKANDERA OUR EDUCATION DESIGNATE, FORWARDING OUT THAT LETTER TO ALL KINDS OF OTHER PEOPLES WHOSE BUSINESS THAT LETTER WAS NOT OF PRIVY. IT WAS A PRIVATE LETTER. SO WE HAVE ALL THESE OTHER THINGS GOING ON. I ASK, DAN, IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO GET ACROSS YOUR POINT ABOUT EDUCATION REFORM? IS THERE NOT ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT BESIDES MAKING IT A PERSONAL ATTACK ON SOMEBODY? >> YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT IN THAT QUESTION, YOU ASKED. FIRST, YOU HAVE GOT TO START OFF WITH IT IS INTERESTING THAT WE'RE HAVING TREPIDATION AT THE TABLE ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR GOVERNOR MARTINEZ BUT THIS IS THE FIRST CONSERVATIVE GROUP WE HAVE SEEN RISE LIKE THIS. YOU HAVE PROGRESS NEW MEXICO. YOU HAVE GOT MULTIPLE LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE CENTER FOR POLICY REFORM AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NAME THAT WENT AFTER DEMOCRAT LEGISLATORS AS WELL, THAT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME. NOW, THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU KEEP SAYING IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE WAY FOR ADMINISTRATION TO GET ITS MESSAGE OUT? THIS IS NOT THE ADMINISTRATION GETTING ITS MESSAGE OUT. THIS IS A NONPARTISAN, A PRIVATE ENTITY TAKING AN ISSUE THAT IT BELIEVES IN. DO I THINK IT HAS GOTTEN PERSONAL? CLEARLY IT IS GETTING PERSONAL BUT IT HAS BEEN GETTING PERSONAL ON BOTH SIDES. WE'RE TAKING A STANCE HERE LIKE I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY SENT THIS OUT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN LOTS OF COMMENTS FROM APS AND FOLKS AT APS ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION, ABOUT THEIR STANCE FROM THE VERY START, THERE HAS BEEN A VERY BIG RELUCTANCE FROM THE START FROM APS TO GET ON BOARD WITH, QUITE FRANKLY, EDUCATION REFORMS THAT ARE BEING PROMOTED BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. THIS STUFF WAS RIGHT IN LINE AND HE CAME AND WAS PRAISING THIS STUFF. YOU'RE SEEING THE GOVERNOR IS REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE TO BE IMPLEMENTING POLICIES THAT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION AND HER ADMINISTRATION ARE ALIGNED ON MANY ISSUES. >> FOLKS ARE FREE TO DISAGREE WITH THAT POSITION. IS MR. BROOKS NOT FREE TO DISAGREE WITH THE POSITION AND NOT JUST COME ON BOARD, YOU KNOW. DOES HE DESERVE TO HAVE THIS? >> YOU KEEP ACTING LIKE WINSTON BROOKS IS JUST SOME CITIZEN, JOE CITIZEN, DOWN THE STREET. HE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE. HE WAS A WEEKLY COLUMN IN THE NEWSPAPER. >> IS HE ASKING FOR VOTES OR MONEY? BECAUSE THIS IS RESERVED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC FOR VOTES OR MONEY. >> NOT AT ALL. THAT IS RESERVED FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO SHA PUBLIC POLICY, A BIG DIFFERENCE. >> I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS EXACTLY WHY THEY SHOULDN'T DO THIS, GIVEN HIS POSITION. IT IS NOT A POLITICAL POSITION. THIS IS A POSITION IN WHICH, IT IS A NONPARTISAN POSITION IN WHICH HE NEEDS TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS. THE GOVERNOR AND THIS -- WHATEVER THIS ORGANIZATION IS, SAYS IT IS ABOUT EDUCATION. IS THIS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE, IS THIS MODELING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION FOR THE STUDENTS? >> CAN I JUMP IN? AS A MOM, I GOT THIS MAILER AT MY HOUSE AND MY KIDS, YOU KNOW, THEY SEE IT AND THEY ASKED ME ABOUT IT. AND I STARTED TO EXPLAIN IT AND I REALIZED AS I WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD OF TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT, THAT IT WAS JUST KIND OF EMBARRASSING. IT IS REALLY NOT MODELING GOOD BEHAVIOR ON EITHER SIDE, REALLY. >> LET INTERRUPT FOR A QUICK SECOND. I THINK IT CORRODES THE CONVERSATION. I DON'T SEE HOW ANYBODY IN APS COULD HAVE A REASONABLE CONVERSATION WITH ADMINISTRATION AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS. >> HOW CAN THEY HAVE A CONVERSATION AFTER TWEETING PICTURES OF GOVERNOR MARTINEZ. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY AT THIS TABLE SAY THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT RE-TWEETING THE PICTURE OF THE GOVERNOR WITH FANGS S IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE. >> IT IS INAPPROPRIATE AND IT IS ALSO BEFORE AND AFTER. BUT, AGAIN, IT IS INAPPROPRIATE. >> THE PROBLEM IS THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION -- WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE VIEWERS UNDERSTAND, YOU'RE ACTING LIKE, GENE, LIKE THIS IS THE FIRST SHOT IN THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS. IT HAS BEEN A VERY PUBLIC DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT OF APS AND HIS FOLKS. >> WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING WE ALL GET THAT. >> THAT IS HOW YOU PUSH POLICY. >> IS IT? >> YOU OUGHT TO ASK ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MAILING DAILY, DAILY IN THE MAIL WHETHER IT IS INSTANT MEDIA OR MAIL LIKE THAT. THAT STUFF CLEARLY DRIVES PUBLIC OPINION. >> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS UP NEXT WEEK. WE GOT WINSTON BROOKS. >> IT IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY THAT. I THINK GOING AFTER ANYBODY TO THE LEVEL THAT BOTH OF THESE GROUPS ARE DOING IT, IT ERODES THE CONVERSATION, WHICH REALLY SHOULD BE ABOUT HOW DO WE GET FROM 50TH IN THE NATION IN EDUCATING KIDS UP TO NO. 1. >> FAIR ENOUGH. GOOD STOPPING POINT THERE. I MENTIONED THE GREAT CITIES SCHOOL CONFERENCE HAPPENING THAT WEEK, NATIONAL TOWNHALL MEETING, CONVERSATION IN THE ROUND ABOUT RACE, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN AMERICA. THE ESSENCE OF THAT TOWNHALL WILL BE BROADCAST RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO. ON THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7 FROM 7:00 TO 8:00 P.M. IN A MOMENT WE'LL TAKE YOU TO AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM.