Albuquerque, I am sorry and I hope to make amends
My website, scottglasrud.com, will help taxpayers hold me accountable for my actions
On Oct. 12, I was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $3,000,000 in restitution to four charter schools I co-founded with Dolly Juarez. The legal process has engulfed my life for the past 52 months. At my sentencing, I was permitted to address the court. Since I accepted responsibility for my actions in federal court, no cameras were permitted. Consequently, the people needing to hear from me the most did not.
I want to personally apologize to the taxpayers of New Mexico, and the students and parents who trusted in us. I have no excuses to offer and I can’t justify our actions. What started as an amazing idea and proved to be a world-class school eventually led to a sense of “entitlement” for the personal risks we took and the innovations we developed. With limited oversight from the hand-selected boards — including Dolly’s spouse — the schools were run with impunity.
For the past 52 months, I have been advised to remain silent. I can now publicly accept responsibility for my actions. I will pay the price financially and with my freedom for my bad decisions. I want to let the taxpayers of New Mexico know that, upon my release, I will work to right our wrongs. I have begun a website, www. scottglasrud.com, so taxpayers can hold me accountable and follow my journey through the criminal justice system. I hope the site provides insight into the criminal justice system (and) daily prison life, and (that it) can serve as a source of information for the public and for students.
The court found $3,000,000 is owed to the taxpayers. I was not the sole beneficiary of these funds. I encourage (the others) to voluntarily accept responsibility for their involvement and help me make this right. Again, to all New Mexicans, I apologize for my actions, the hardships I have caused, and for the damage brought upon the reputations of these incredible schools, their staffs and the charter school community.