Charter school chief rules with iron fist, say teachers

I personally know Marcos and he seems to be a nice person when you first meet him. In fact both of the children attended his school for three years. The first two years were great, both of my children accelerated. One of my children had a learning disability, but his teacher was amazing. During the 3rd year I noticed that Mr. Martinez had changed. He began acting as though he owned the school. I know that he is the founder, but he really believed that the school was his and he did have absolute power. He not only bullied his teachers and Students, he bulled some of the parents. There are a lot of parents that were new to this country and didn't know any better. He would tell the parents to send their kids to school or they were going to be expelled. The school would tell the parents to come and sign their children into school even if they were sick. By my children attended RFMA, the school was packed. It concerned me that they had small children cramped in small rooms. Mr. Martinez would not turn anyone down to attend the school despite there not being any more room. The more kids attended the school, the more money he received. The lunches the school gave out to the kids were not bad until the end of my children's 3rd year there. I stopped letting my kids eat that food because I was afraid that they were going to get sick. Once I saw that the conditions were getting worse my children in that school, I took my kids out. Mr. Martinez should not be leading any other schools. He lost that drive to try and help children, it all turned into a money making scheme. When I saw this article, I was not surprised and I am glad that he is finally gone.

Are you nuts I am 100% Italian that alone should tell you I am not Marcos and I am anti government assistance so that as well should tell you that I am not macros. I am also a republican. You are truly ignorant and dumb if you would have read my other post you would have scene that the definition of ignorant is talking about something that you know nothing about. I am not Marcos I don't even know the man but I do know that I am sick of the weak whining that goes on in this country. If you want to talk to me personally you refer to me as Nick from now on. I also hate Obama so that should tell you that I am not him as well. The only reason why I even commented is because I see a man trying to better his own community. I come from Italian immigrants and the only way we surpassed people that have been here for hundreds of years is because we helped our own out. Please former teacher don't be ignorant it just makes me scared that you are teaching kids and spreading your dumbness around. As a side note if you weren't so stupid you would have looked up the word pebeat and scene that it is a Italian word. You truly are pathetic and saddens me that you teach kids but I guess you are the reason our country is in the shape it is. Also how is any one gaining financially from a school and if they are there should be a government agency looking into my tax money being stolen but there is not there is just a bunch of crying your ridiculous and are just spraying venom because you couldn't cut it in the real world.

As a former teacher of this school I have to say that everything EVERYTHING in this article is true. The only reason this school is a success is because of the dedication of its teachers, most of whom who come from similar backgrounds as the children they teach. Marcos Martinez and his collaborator, Gabriela Guzman, have abused and exploited these children and their teachers for personal financial and egotistical gain. The school is a good idea and should continue, but only if there is ethical leadership. Marcos is not an ethical man, to the contrary he is a true narcissist, and his comments below as "Thebigpebeat11" are indicative of his sad mental pathology. Protect our kids and our teachers by ensuring that this man and his collaborators are never allowed back in the halls of this school.

I cant believe that in this day and age and kids being so out of control that we would worry about a teacher being to hard on kids. We live in a state where our public schools are a total mess and this man is truly trying to better our state and his own race of people. We need more people like this man he is not making excuses he is making answers. Especially in this day and age where everyone is making excuses for everything. This man should have got a raise not removed this is truly insane I hate to call this place home when a teacher with good motives is being chastised for being to hard on kids. Kids need discipline and especially at risk youth they need even more. Have we as a society really become this weak that teachers cant rule with an Iron fist teachers should rule like this. Schools and for that matter corporations and non profits by nature are dictatorships there is no such thing as a democracy in schools or nothing would get done. With out discipline and harsh teachers I would have never graduated from a prominent university. Please tell me that we as state have not become this stupid that teachers can not discipline. As a side note any of these whinny teachers could never cut it the private sector. I could never whine about my boss being to mean that is insane these teachers are grown people stop whining like a bunch of sissy jerks it makes our state look stupid and weak. I never could understand why are schools are in in the shape that they are in until I read this ridiculous article here is a man with a mission and results to back up his mission and he is totally being attacked for it. We are handcuffing are teachers and wondering why are kids are as dumb as they are. I guess this all part of the plan of dumbing down America get rid of all the good teachers and administrators and keep the ones who do nothing what a sad day for Colorado

Let's just be honest, all this stuff is true.

I think this is a great article. I've seen the test scores the students of this school are posting and thought that they were great; great until I learned that those scores were being manufactured. I think it's silly for the public to accept that one idiotic test can be used to say whether our kids are learning or not. You use tests to test monkeys in laboratories not kids. However, if the Head is cheating then the scores don't mean anything anyway. I really hope Westword contacts more former employees and even current ones. I know that, if given anonymity, the staff would gladly inform the public about the truth of this article.

We'd like to publish some of these comments in our print letters to the editor column -- ideally with the author's full name and town. If you're willing, e-mail me at patricia.calhoun@westword.com. thanks.

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This school does not deserve to be named after someone who fought against tyrants. Maybe rename it Fidel Castro Academy?

It certainly looks to me like Mr. Martinez is using child performance as the guise to bully and terrorize teachers, parents, and children, an alarming number of whom seem to be women. Do you think that teachers must dedicate themselves to indentured servitude in order to meet your master plan for student achievment, Mr. Martinez? Many of the people who pride themselves on brutal honesty enjoy the brutality more than the honesty.

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One group huh? I wonder how many more of the teachers that have been fired or intimidated by Marcos Martinez will have something to say after this article? I'm sure the parents have no idea what's going on in that school. That doesn't make them bad parents. They are guilty of putting their trust into a flawed system and a flawed school and why wouldn't they? A school is supposed to be trustworthy. Also, if these teachers are only looking for payouts, they are looking in the right place because they seem to be winning.

This story is yet another example of the media turning a molehill into a mountain. The allegations have been brought forward by a small group of disgruntled people looking for payouts and attention. Do you honestly believe that parents knowingly send the nearly 300 students to school on a daily basis to a prison like atmosphere where they are forced to wear dunce caps and eat slop? If that is the case there are some serious parenting issues that need to be addressed. I’m wondering if people will ever stop jumping to conclusions and really find out the facts before making judgments.

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Its amazing to me that schools like this exist...it makes you wander how many other Marcos Martinez exist under CSI/CDE rule???!!! SCAREY! Is it fair that nothing has been done about a situation like this? CSI had it in their files that he was accused of child abuse, tampering with CSAP scores and with state funding "copying and pasting Special Ed. applications" for students to get funding because that is what is amounts to - funding. COLORADO WAKE UP ....is this how you want your taxes spent and then the CDE and CSI wander why they cannot get enough funding to support education....THERE IS A REASON schools like this exist and obviously the system has failed because if these items have been "DOCUMENTED by the 1 institute that is to be watching and regulating schools - IS NOT doing their job. And how in the hell does CDE not follow up with these institutes who are SUPPOSEd to be in charge of allowing and keeping schools to the law and well are not....HMMM!!!! This entire article is INFERIORATING! The next time their is a move for get more of my tax money for education my question is to CDE and CSI - WHY! You hire poor leadership - do not watch what they do daily to students and to their staff and you expect us to fund this - what happens if thats my kid in these schools - then what. When does this madness stop!!!! At what point. In my eyes to have people like Antonio Vigil and Marcos Martinez yelling at 4 year olds or grade school students is what is - CHILD ABUSE! And what has been done - NOTHING! And what is the next question....as in all child abuse cases WHY did the state allow this to happen!!!!! This school is asking teachers to change grades.....I wander what more has Marcos Martinez and Antonio Vigil done to their state tests - sort of makes you think doesnt it. And where is CSI....is Ethan Hemming going to do something with this other than worry about turning his own sad organization into lemonade so they get more funding REALLY! Hey Ethan what the hell else are you going to do for the organization - what is it going to take for your group to start doing your jobs and STOP people like this and yourselves from allowing this to happen to children and to teachers. WOW!!!! WOW!!! WOW!!!!

I believe the teachers 100%! I hope this guy gets what he deserves. I am sure they are happy to not work in an environment that does not support teachers and students. I hope new schools are not opened and at least the leadership is changed within this school. This is no way to treat professionals that actually care about the students...not the test scores (which are not valid because it says he coaches the students and checks all tests...hmmm). I hope the right people recognize what he has done and make the right decisions!!!

Wow, a person is a democrat who opposes charter schools because they feel a principal who discriminates against women, treats students like piggy banks instead of people and misappropriates funds is wrong? Nice try. These charter schools were created specifically to ensure students pass these idiotic tests. If they do well on the tests then it's not a measure of each student's educational level, it's a measure of how well the school was able to teach students how to take a specific test. Please take a moment to understand the dynamics and factors that allow schools like this to do "well." Also, as the article says, it's not the principal it's the teachers that are the reason the students are learning. They learn in spite of the principal, not because of him.

What an idiot! I hope that school doesn't get renewed!