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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEntire Los Lunas, N.M., school board suspended indefinitely
The entire Los Lunas school board has been suspended due to alleged violations of procurement and public access laws, according to a release from the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED). Los Lunas School Board President Eloy G. Giron, Vice President P. David Vickers, Secretary Frank A. Otero, and members Bryan C. Smith and Steven R. Otero are all suspended. The NMPED release states that members are not allowed to contact school staff or use school equipment or facilities during the indefinite suspension. They also cannot use the board's attorney to represent them. The state's public education department warned the board about violations in November. They also provided training to the board members in January and March regarding the laws and rules.
The NMPED has credible evidence of the following violations by one or more board members:
PUBLIC ACCESS CONCERNS
Knowingly misrepresenting information in public meetings;
Violating the Open Meetings Act by using rolling quorums;
Acting on matters not described with reasonable specificity on board meeting agendas;
Violating the Inspection of Public Records Act by refusing to produce records as required.
PROCUREMENT CONCERNS
Interfering with district contracts and not following the Procurement Code;
Directly asking or demanding a vendor to redo a part of a contract;
Attempting to extort vendors by suggesting they would receive a district contract if they agreed to personally enrich a board member;
Soliciting bids;
Providing confidential bid information to potential vendors;
Demanding contracts for goods and services be awarded to certain vendors, bypassing appropriate procurement procedures;
Soliciting services and contracts without working with the districts chief procurement officer and central procurement office.
ETHICAL CONCERNS
Addressing a district employee in an inappropriate and threatening manner in a public meeting;
Inducing an employee to lie about a supervisor;
Falsifying allegations about financial misconduct of school administrative personnel;
Attempting to extort school administrative, support and maintenance personnel through intimidation and threats;
Interfering with personnel matters, including demanding the demotion, suspension and/or termination of school personnel, decisions and responsibilities properly assigned by law to the superintendent;
Interfering with overall district operations;
Demanding family members be hired, in violation of prohibitions on nepotism;
Interfering with the superintendent and administrative staff roles.
https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/nmped-entire-los-lunas-school-board-suspended-indefinitely/6122572/?cat=500
NH Ethylene
(30,813 posts)I've never heard of suspending a school board before, but I hope this is well publicized. A lot of members of school boards and town boards of selectmen are guilty of these kinds of offenses, and it's good for them to see accountability.
AllyCat
(16,189 posts)I literally cannot imagine this happening with our current board.
dalton99a
(81,516 posts)Aristus
(66,388 posts)They always seen like emotional seven year-olds who see themselves as rootin'-tootin', six-gun shootin' Wild West heroes.
It's hard to square with the beer-bellies, the slack muscles, and the double chins.
Pacifist Patriot
(24,653 posts)Paladin
(28,264 posts)A large piece of shit, stupid even by TX right-wing standards, in a cowboy hat.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,564 posts)...to be a cowboy. He'd be right at home if his surname was Bundy, don't you think?
A HERETIC I AM
(24,370 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,007 posts)Zeitghost
(3,862 posts)Look to be Hispanic, most likely of Mexican descent given the names and location.
intheflow
(28,477 posts)among three people, Giron and Otero. A Spanish surname indicates Mestizo, who usually identify as white.
Zeitghost
(3,862 posts)Mestizo people are included in the I portion of BIPOC. Are we now denying brown people are marginalized?
Baitball Blogger
(46,736 posts)They look like chamber of commerce types.
hatrack
(59,587 posts)Can anybody help?
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)the school board is also very red and all those charges are fully justified.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)They might as well be called "Boss Hogg."
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)urban areas.
fantase56
(444 posts)It's in Valencia County just south of Albuquerque..... There is however a nice little prison in Los Lunas where they might get to visit.
JuJuChen
(2,215 posts)Sur Zobra
(3,428 posts)DENVERPOPS
(8,835 posts)a bunch of white, male, entitled pigs............At the risk of getting my hand slapped by DU, I will say no more.........
Mysterian
(4,588 posts)Great idea.
intheflow
(28,477 posts)Here you are, slapping his hand!
If it looks like a MAGA and it acts like a MAGA, its usually safe to assume theyre Trump Humpers. The poster you replied to based his initial assessment on the OP outlining ethics violations. Its pretty easy to make the leap that white men + corruption = MAGA. He didnt just look at their photos and jump to a conclusion.
Zeitghost
(3,862 posts)3 look to be BIPOC.
intheflow
(28,477 posts)Last edited Fri May 28, 2021, 12:04 PM - Edit history (1)
in terms of Latino identity, do you? White (or white passing) Latinos can pass as white, and many are descended from Spaniards and identify as and with whites. Otero, in particular, is a Spanish surname, and there are the only two I think are Latino, only one looks like a Mestizo, or POC, as you put it. (Cant imagine who the third one is that youre referring to. The guy named Smith?) All these men are white MAGA. (By the way, this area was mostly blue in the 2016 election, but went hard Trump in 2020. Coincidentally, just about the same time a Facebook data processing center came to town. Or is it coincidental? )
Zeitghost
(3,862 posts)Questioning the minority and indigenous status of the Mexican people because some can pass for white?
Response to Mysterian (Reply #16)
intheflow This message was self-deleted by its author.
lpbk2713
(42,759 posts)Not a doubt in my mind.
womanofthehills
(8,718 posts)Hes surprised by this. Said the guy is definitely a dem. Ive met Otero a few times but only talked with him for about 10 minutes.
Mysterian
(4,588 posts)But it seems a lot of them are stupid assholes who just want to do some power trippin'. It's the same with most local boards I've encountered.
Dogboyzdad
(13 posts)Is that all?
AllyCat
(16,189 posts)We are incredibly careful even being in public together for fear of folks thinking we are a walking quorum. If we go out for drinks after a meeting, we make an announcement of where we will be and no school board business will be discussed or voted on. Someone is always looking at the financials and we publish it EVERY SINGLE meeting. Anyone can look at it.