The Winnie and Skandy Show

November 08, 2013

By James Burbank

It’s one of those moments when I feel I should take off my hat, bow my head, kneel down, and give thanks that indeed I live in New Mexico, where the bracing and slightly bitter essence of horseshit can suddenly waft through nuestro Burqueville.

I strongly believe anyone who doesn’t like the clean, strong smell of horseshit is a degenerate. With great joy therefore have I just learned APS Superintendent Winnie Brooks has made livestock references about NM’s uncrowned Queen of Education Hanna Skandera, and that the gov herself has come down from on high to the barn to say Win is being unprofessionally sexist in the terrible, perhaps unmentionable reference he made involving the uncrowned ed. tsarina.

Specifically Brooks tweeted to KOAT reporter Lauren Zakalik, “Maybe Skandy should head for the livestock truck.” He further tweeted, “Moo, Moo, Oink, oink!!” APS social media guru Maralyn Beck then joined in the festivities by tweeting emoticons of a pig, cow, boar, and sheep. This really gets fascinating because the whole scene, redolent of horseshit, happened in Moriarty where Winnie and Skandy were attending an education forum.

I thought we were talking about how stupid and misguided it is to test New Mexico kids to death and to measure teacher performance solely by how the students perform, these simplistic and reductive notions about teaching and learning merely serving as a cynical smokescreen to corporatize public education and give away New Mexico’s future, our kids, to the highest bidder. But then the beloved and acrid scent of horseshit saturates the air, and suddenly I am transfixed.

This piece was written by:

James Burbank

James Burbank has written and published over 200 articles for regional and national publications such as Reuters International News Service, The World & I Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, Farmer’s Almanac, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, La Opinion, New Mexico Magazine, Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque Tribune. He is author of Retirement New Mexico, the best selling book published by New Mexico Magazine Press, now in its third edition. He is also author of Vanishing Lobo: the Mexican Wolf in the Southwest, published by Johnson Books.

As a professional writing consultant, he has written and edited publications, video and radio scripts, annual reports, and investment information for a wide variety of corporate clients. A Lecturer II for the Department of English, Burbank has specialized in teaching technical writing and professional writing. His interests extend from composition and writing theory to environmental and nature writing. He has played a leadership role in developing and implementing the English Department’s teaching mentorship program.