Dear, Editor:
As we face the closure of La Tierra Montessori, it’s important for me to share the reason why the Española Valley will no longer have it as an option for our children. My 20 year-old son was a student the first year the school opened and this past fall I had my three youngest children enrolled at LTMAS. For the past year I have attended countless LTMAS Governing Council and Public Education Commission meetings. Over the course of several months in these meetings it became clear to me that Isaac Casados, as sitting Governing Council President, was a toxic presence.
When my son was injured at the hands of a LTMAS staff member, Casados provided no oversight of how the head learner handled the incident and instead became an obstacle for any resolution. I witnessed this same attitude with several other issues Casados encountered as president. At one point he even threatened to sue the PEC (Public Education Commission), rather than attempt to remedy issues that the commission raised. Casados also slandered concerned parents and community members during public meetings.
Casados refused to allow new Governing Council members to join the council, even though there have been four open seats for nearly a year. He refused to follow the school’s bylaws. He refused to work with concerned parents. Isaac Casados’ arrogance drove LTMAS into the ground, from a charter renewal to a charter revocation in less than a year. As the doors close at LTMAS, there is one person to blame: Isaac Casados.
Forrest Verde Dudek,
Ojo Caliente