RRPS Files in Court to Have AIMS Charter School Waiver Repealed

Don't Mess with RRPS
06/20/14 -Editorial by Renee WilkinsIf there’s one lesson to be learned over the past  few months, it’s that you don’t mess with RRPS. They are using everything within their arsenal, and our tax dollars, to send this message loud and clear. The RRPS School Board has now filed in court against the Public Education Commission, Public  Education Department and Secretary of Education Skandera for issuing the waiver that would finalize AIMS Charter School’s move into Rio Rancho. Their mission:  to get the waiver repealed, and dissuade other would-be charter schools from  entering their territory.

 The water is so muddy at this point, it’s hard to  get a clear picture of what exactly happened, or didn’t happen, to cause all the  ruckus.  AIMS thought they had crossed all their t’s and dotted all their i’s.  In February 2013, AIMS’s expansion was  approved by the Public Education Commission (PEC).   Now the PEC has apparently buckled with the weight of RRPS pressure, and changed its tune.  There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that if RRPS had given its “blessing”, AIMS would have sailed into Rio Rancho.

 The AIMS situation is unique because they are not chartered under any one school district. They are chartered directly under the State.  Therein lies the problem.   RRPS argues that Secretary Skandera abused her discretion in granting a  waiver to AIMS, because AIMS did not have the “support” of the Albuquerque Public School District in expanding outside of its boundaries.  Interesting. Charter schools not chartered under the authority of a school district are then supposed to be subjects of whatever school district they enter?  Doesn’t this seem like a conflict of  interest on the part of the school districts, considering that AIMS is their competition?

 It is understandable that RRPS feels threatened  by AIMS.  AIMS does much more with  much less, and has been nationally awarded. While RRPS may not be the frumpy  fraulein with the hairy mole on her lip, she certainly doesn’t want the  supermodel of schools standing so close.  It reminds me of the old commercial, “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”  AIMS is a beautiful  example of success in education, and an opportunity for our kids that could steal the lime-light from RRPS. 

Our school board has lost its ability to do what is right, for the right reason. Their actions reflect a desire to shackle our kids to RRPS and snuff out exciting  possibilities that many kids would not have in Rio Rancho Public Schools.  Perhaps they have lost their  perspective.  The parents of Rio Rancho need to be looking toward the two school board positions that come up in  2015.  We can do better than this.

Contact Your School Board Representative!