The agreement allowing a city Violence Intervention Program to operate inside of Albuquerque Public Schools has changed after 4 Investigates uncovered a sex offender had gone into a half-dozen schools. 

Nearly 10 months ago, Mayor Tim Keller made his pitch to the Albuquerque School Board to expand the School-based Violence Intervention Program (SB VIP). The program allowed school staff to refer at-risk students to city workers as part of the SB-VIP.

With parental permission, students would be enrolled into the program to help them understand consequences, accountability and try to interrupt the cycles of violence. 

Following our investigation, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the city administration and APS grew from three pages to 17 pages. It added language mandating fingerprinting for, “subcontractors and guest speakers.”  

When 4 Investigates presented evidence that a sex offender had gone into multiple APS schools as a guest speaker while working for the city of Albuquerque as a contractor, APS had, “no comment.” 

Following the changes with the MOU, 4 Investigates pushed to speak with either the elected members of the APS School Board or new Superintendent Gabriella Blakey.

An APS spokesman told us the school board focuses on big picture plans while the Superintendent Blakey is focused on operations. Blakey is also responsible for operations and student safety.

We asked multiple times for the opportunity to interview Superintendent Blakey about the changes with the MOU and the continued operation of the city’s School-based Violence Intervention Program.  We were denied. 

Early results of SB VIP 

The city has expanded its School-based Violence Intervention Program. West Mesa High School was the only school that offered routine programming for the SB-VIP until this year. Atrisco Heritage Academy High School is now offering the SB VIP for students. Currently, 35 students are enrolled across both schools. 

The city of Albuquerque provided stats showing the early improvements with students at West Mesa: 

• 80% of students referred to the program got parental approval to participate in it. 
• Overall GPAs increased for participants. 
• Since implementation in 2021-2022 there has been a 40% drop in student suspensions at WMHS. 

We did not get the opportunity to ask Superintendent Blakey if this program has her full support. 

Instead, we asked APS spokesman Martin Salazar if he believes in it. 

“I think it’s a very good program. Again, we need to do something as a community to get our arms around the violence that we see every day,” Salazar said.