Group launches recall on Maestas

APS board member founded La Promesa charter school

A new local education group has started a recall effort to remove Analee Maestas from the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education in the wake of state Auditor Tim Keller’s recent report outlining $700,000 in questionable transactions at the charter school she founded.

New Mexico Education Improvement Project — an organization launched in May by four former APS board candidates — announced the recall campaign, dubbed Operation Three Strikes, Friday afternoon in front of La Promesa Early Learning Center.

Ali Ennenga, the group’s president, called Maestas a “poster child of fiscal mismanagement.”

New Mexico Education Improvement Project has been surveying Maestas’ constituents on Albuquerque’s West Side for the past two months, and Ennenga said they are dissatisfied.

Brenda Baca, La Promesa Parent Teacher Association president, said she supports the recall and was “disgusted” by the alleged embezzlement.

“It affects all of us,” said Baca, grandmother of a La Promesa student. “We are working our butts off to make this school better.”

Ennenga condemned the Albuquerque Teachers Federation and APS board members for not speaking out against Maestas.

ATF President Ellen Bernstein told the Journal she understand the concerns, but also noted that Maestas has not been found guilty of a crime.

“We don’t think somebody who has been found guilty of embezzling school funds should be in charge of school funds — I think that goes without saying,” Bernstein said. “We also believe it is up

to the community that voted for Analee to voice their opinion, and if they want to launch a recall, I think the community she represents should be the ones to do that.”

Maestas and her attorney, Marc M. Lowry, did not respond to requests for comment Friday afternoon.

On Wednesday, Maestas said she had no knowledge of the alleged embezzlement and blamed her daughter’s substance abuse problems.

Julieanne Maestas, La Promesa’s former assistant business manager, diverted about half a million dollars from the charter school into her personal bank account from June 2010 to July 2016, according to Keller’s investigation. In addition, she deposited about $177,000 worth of checks that were payable to the former executive director — her mother — as well as to her boyfriend, who was a school vendor.

Doug Brown, New Mexico Education Improvement Project secretary, said a competent school leader would have noticed that money was going missing from La Promesa.

The group plans to submit recall paperwork on Monday.