The school board of the Central Consolidated district in Shiprock, N.M., has violated the state’s open-meetings law, New Mexico’s attorney general has determined.
In an Aug. 26 statement, Patricia A. Madrid wrote that at a meeting on Oct. 19, 2004, the school board failed to follow certain procedures required by law. For the most part, she ruled in favor of a complaint filed in April by the group Families Supporting Dine Education. “Dine” is another word for Navajo.
The school board did not notify the public adequately of its agenda for a closed session at the meeting, which included a discussion about pending or threatened litigation, the attorney general found. She said the school board also improperly convened the closed session.
Superintendent Linda Besett said district officials believe they were in compliance with the law and are seeking a meeting with the attorney general.
