9-19-2024 12:53am

Flickinger Center & Lorrie Black v Alamogordo Public Schools and Dr Kenneth Moore Case Dismissed

Chris Edwards Editor

A dismissal for lack of prosecution, also known as a dismissal for want of prosecution, is a legal term that refers to the termination of a case due to the plaintiff's failure to pursue it within a specified time frame. This can happen in a variety of cases, including breach of contract and property damage per the legal definition.

Closer to home in the case of Alamogordo a lawsuit was filed as cog in plan to make a change in leadership within the Alamogordo Public School System, by a small group of actors that have wanted to change the trajectory of the Alamogordo public schools.

Former Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kenneth Moore and those in leadership positions around him became targets of multiple lawsuits, a social media campaign of attacks and intimidation tactics, using outsiders affiliated with Moms of Liberty to drive a campaign to influence public opinion and to oust the former school board Superintendent Dr. Moore. The campaign goal was also to rid APS of those who were in his administration; Colleen Tagle and paid and yet suspended Superintendent Pam Renteria, chairwomen Judy Rabon, school board members, Carol Louise Teweleit and Amanda French Jewel who were NEA endorsed.

The campaign, to drive a wedge between these effective leaders who were making great progress in implementing change and improving APS student results ruffled the feathers of the "establishment" that has controlled Alamogordo politics for decades.

The facilatators of this effort then used the courts, social media, Main Gate United, the Flickinger Center and the Chamber of Commerce to spin a web of biased and misleading information to engage public outrage and facilitate change and their agenda.

Tagging onto a theme using scare tactics around CRT, critical race theory curriculum (which does not exist in APS), trans athletics scare scenarios, homophobia scare tactics and an overall misogynistic conspiracy campaign the group marched forward.

This group set an agenda of seeds of chaos and disruption within APS. Lawsuits were filed such as the case of Flickinger Center for the Performing Arts, et. al., v. Board of Education of Alamogordo Public School District #1, et. al as an effort to drive public opinion against APS leadership.

As time progressed details emerged on the lawsuit filed by Lorrie Black and the Flickinger Center against the Alamogordo Public Schools and Dr Kenneth Moore. The case was seeking relief for an alleged violation of the right to exercise free speech, a violation of due process and equal protection, a violation of the access to public records act, unlawful retaliation from a public records request, defamation of the character of Lorrie Black by Dr. Moore. And yet, those filing the case dropped efforts to prosecute the case.

There was speculation among many all along, that the case had significant flaws, and that it was nothing more than a stunt to discredit Dr. Moore and Mrs Rabon along with other board members pushing an agenda of systemic upgrades and change

After Dr. Moore was released from the system, Mom's of Liberty representatives swooped to Alamogordo to "teach candidates how to win," a new school board was elected that would not oppose a competiting Charter School initiative and those who filed the lawsuit quit pressing for its prosecution. The lawsuit backers basically won on he court of public opinion and thus the purpose of the lawsuit itself became irrelevant.

A link is included in the article of the complete 34-page complaint.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hs69JUvMV3SZeDleE2YkOVshC38GoJ8P/view?usp=sharing

Thus the courts took action on 9-16-24 and dismissed the case for lack of disposition.

The Alamogordo Public School system was forced to pay thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds aa a result of this case in legal fees of which was nothing more than a political ploy given it was no longer being persued. The Alamogordo School District as a result of this case paid a settlement to Dr Moore, was required as a part of the settlement to issue a letter of praise for his performance and to provide him a positive reference for future employment.

The APS system under rhe new board still is racking up expenses funded by the taxpayers as a part of this ongoing agenda

Superintendent Pam Renteria is still on a paid leave of absence pending an "ongoing investigation" that had been ongoing since January thus ticking down the timeclock until her contract expires in December with paid inactivity to a formerly passionate and effective civil servant.

Legal expenses countinue to add up as the APS board continues to pay to investigate the awarding of the cancelled Dreamscape Contract.

Students, a year later still do NOT have an immersion IVR technology system that could have already been implemented if political gamesmanship were not being played by local players disgruntled because they were not awarded the contract. The students suffer without the program, APS racks up more expenses and the taxpayers continue to hemorrhage money that should be devoted to improving student outcomes.

To be continued...