El Paso Times guest column asks some hard questions

Seems some administrators missed the bus

NewsNM Swickard: while this is an opinion piece by a former principal in El Paso, it is a cause for all educators in our area to pay attention to the politics. Using political solutions for educational problems are certain to cause these kinds of actions. Again, this is alleged behavior, but I, Michael Swickard, Ph.D. in Educational Administration, feel it rings true. Exclusive from the El Paso Times - By John T. Roskosky \ Guest columnist- I usually refrain from writing letters to the editor, but I am making an exception in this case because I can no longer be silent on the activity of the El Paso Independent School District, specifically the board and central office administrators. Shame on you, Russell Wiggs! Your comment in last Sunday's (El Paso Times) paper labeling the unnamed former employee as a "disgruntled former employee" is the typical behavior from the board and central office administrators. I suppose that since I retired from the district due to the pressure imposed upon me by Dr. Lorenzo García, Dr. Damon Murphy, and Dr. Priscilla Terrazas, and I am now writing this letter, I, too, will be labeled as a "disgruntled employee" but I am not.  As an aside, I found out through the FBI investigation that I had been targeted for removal solely because I would not "disappear" my limited English proficient students.  My greatest joy came from being the principal of El Paso High School and I would have continued in that position but for the fact that I would not make my LEP students "disappear" and instead felt our duty was to educate all students, even though that was not what was expected.  My greatest disappointment came from seeing what my replacement did to a great school, excellent faculty, and a wonderful student body. Without even investigating the issue, you have already besmirched the character of that individual by your callous comment.  Have you ever worked under a tyrant such as those I have already named? Have you ever feared loss of employment because you spoke out? Have you ever been yelled at in meetings and given reprimands because you tried to do what you thought was best for every student only to be told it was not the "policy?" Many former employees in EPISD left because of the constant pressure to improve scores at the expense of those most fragile. Are we all "disgruntled" if we speak out? Read more

El Paso Times guest column asks some hard questions