Maestas’ credibility nil; she should exit APS board

Does someone who sat by for six years while her daughter reportedly stole $475,000 from the charter school they operated have any business overseeing a $1.3 billion school district budget? Absolutely not. Yet Analee Maestas remains on the Albuquerque Public Schools board. She should have resigned last year when the state auditor revealed a doctored $342.40 receipt to get La Promesa Early Learning Center to pay for maintenance work apparently done at her home. Or when she was forced out as the school’s executive director. Or when the Public Education Department suspended the school’s board of finance and took over control of the school’s finances. Or when she decided to “take this very seriously” and “retained counsel.” Or when her school received another dismal letter grade for not teaching even half of its K-8 students how to read or do math.

Now, the state auditor has released a “risk review” of La Promesa, outlining specific potential criminal violations involving a “forgery scheme that funneled over $475,000 from the school to an employee’s personal bank account.”

The risk review says the nearly half-million dollars intended for La Promesa Early Learning Center’s operating fund wound up in the personal account of the assistant business manager, Julieanne Maestas — all while her mother, Analee Maestas, was serving as the charter school’s $82,716-a-year executive director. The mismanagement could have started as early as 2010 and involved more than 500 checks to vendors signed by Annalee Maestas and apparently fraudulently endorsed by her daughter.

The allegations could result in fraud, embezzlement, larceny and forgery charges against anyone involved. The findings have been formally referred to federal and state law enforcement authorities.

In the earlier case involving the carpet cleaning bill, no charges have been filed. But those involved could face felony charges punishable by up to 18 months in prison. The school dumped both women last September. While APS Board President David Peercy is correct that “La Promesa is a charter school authorized by the state, not APS” and he wants to wait for more information, the bottom line is Annalee Maestas has zero credibility as a responsible financial steward.

At a minimum, the APS Board should vote no confidence in having her continue on the board, remove her from any committees and formally request her resignation. But Maestas should finally do the right thing and resign to focus on her and her daughter’s very serious legal woes.

Because ,right now, there is no way the public can trust her ability to represent them and their children or make sound financial decisions with their tax dollars.