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Albuquerque Public Schools board wants more details on grade change

By Susie Gran
Thursday, June 21, 2007

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The F flap at Rio Grande High School is far from finished.

School board members say they're hungry for more details while district administrators say the state investigation was incomplete.

But all the facts about the controversial grade change may never come out, Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Beth Everitt said on June 20.

"I don't know if we'll fully understand the whole story," Everitt said after the Public Education Department issued its findings in favor of Rio Grande teacher Anita Forte.

Everitt's comment didn't sit well with Albuquerque Board of Education member Marty Esquivel.

"I don't get the sense that anyone wants to get to the bottom of it," Esquivel said.

"Beth says we're never going to know the truth," he said. "I can't accept that. Why not?"

He suggested the board use its subpoena power to review files and e-mails and interview those involved in the decision to pass the senior over the objections of the student's teacher and principal.

Forte flunked the son of former Board of Education member Miguel Acosta and Bernalillo County Commissioner Teresa Cordova. His F in senior English was changed to a D by Elsy Fierro, the district administrator who supervised Rio Grande Principal Al Sanchez. The student was allowed to graduate in May with his class.

State Education Department investigators recommended Fierro face an Educator Ethics Bureau hearing that could lead to suspension or revocation of her administrative license.

The investigative report concluded Fierro "exerted undue influence . . . to change a student's grade" and provided incomplete and inaccurate information to the superintendent and associate superintendents "in an apparent attempt to gain support for the grade-change directive."

At a news conference on June 20, Everitt said she supported Fierro and the teacher.

"In my heart, I believe people did what they thought was the right thing."

However, there was "information I did not have that I should have had," Everitt said.

Had she had more information on the grade change, "the decision probably would have been a different decision," she said.

In response to Esquivel's criticism, Everitt assured the board that she would accept the state findings.

"I asked for that report," she said, "and we take responsibility for our actions."

She admitted mistakes were made and said, "I do apologize to our community."

Top district administrators claimed on June 20 that the Public Education Department didn't find out everything in the grade-change imbroglio.

"We just have to work with the ethics bureau," said Nelinda Venegas, the associate superintendent who supervised Fierro. "They (state investigators) don't have all the info."

Deputy Superintendent Tom Savage agreed. "Potentially, there could be additional information. We need to make sure all the information is thorough."

Cordova said on June 20 she was not interviewed by the state investigators.

"I am surprised they would make a decision without (hearing) all sides," Cordova said.

"Whatever they have, they didn't get it from me," she said.

School board member Gordon Rowe said he still questions why the administration reversed a school's decision.

"We need to give the community an honest and forthright answer," he said.

Everitt announced a settlement had been reached in the Rio Grande teacher's grievance over the grade change and that "it supports our teachers and our schools."

The agreement says the teacher "properly assigned the grade" based on her expectations of student work and attendance.

"I think teachers are going to be relieved," said Ellen Bernstein, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation.

"This was a good way to have resolution so they don't feel their judgment is going to be questioned," she said. "This was real important to all teachers.