The suspension of Albuquerque Public Schools superintendent Winston Brooks last week for disparaging tweets against state education-designate Hanna Skandera was the right thing to do, but Governor Susan Martinez’s public remarks about the matter contradict her own inaction toward a high-ranking member of her own administration for a far worse offense against a woman.
Governor Susana Martinez stated that Brooks should be ashamed of himself, saying women shouldn’t be treated that way. She further stated during a KOAT-TV interview that “…he was a role model, and role models don’t talk that way…” The governor went on to say that this is not a lesson on how to use social media, but a lesson on how to respect people.
I fully support the APS school board decision, but the Governor’s statements are hypocritical, especially when remembering the governor’s chief of staff Keith Gardner’s behavior last year when he bullied Carrie Menapace in front of several eyewitnesses at the state Capitol. Gardner physically accosted Ms. Menapace, a young female APS administrator, because Brooks refused to accept the controversial policies of state Public Education Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera. Menapace said he grabbed her by the arm and then told her that “the bowels of hell” were going to be released on Brooks as he walked away from the scene.
There has never been a public apology by Gardner or the administration for his abusive and disrespectful behavior after Ms. Menapace brought it to the attention of Governor Martinez’, who instead of chastising her chief of staff for his antics, accused Ms. Menapace of making the whole thing up.
While I have disagreed with Secretary-Designate Hanna Skandera on many policy issues, Superintendent Brooks disparaging comments on Twitter about her were inappropriate and sophomoric. The school board did the right thing in suspending him without pay for three days.
However, I find it at the height of hypocrisy that Governor Martinez admonishes the superintendent as an improper role-model when her own chief of staff – the second most powerful person in state government – continues in his role, with no disciplinary action. How does the Governor reconcile her statements about Brooks to her own inaction of a physical assault on a young woman who was just doing her job?
The fact that Gardner remains in his position, despite this and many other incidents, offers the public a valuable perspective into the governor’s selective memory.
Governor Martinez has now taken up the cause of women, as she should, but it should be a cause that is consistent and not just when it benefits her politically. There are a whole lot of women who remember when one of the first things she did when coming into office was to veto funding for the state Commission on the Status of Women, effectively killing it.
Today, because it suits her, she is taking up the cause of the treatment of women and respecting a person. But there were neither on that day back in February 2012 when Gardner chose to use his large physical presence and position of power to intimidate. There should have been some concern for women by the governor back then as well.
(Photo by Gila National Forest)
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