Embattled Cobre High School Principal Robert Martinez, who is under investigation after complaints by a group of parents, is now facing a misdemeanor charge of battery brought by a private citizen, the Silver City Sun-News reported.

Robert Peru filed his complaint on April 22, alleging that Martinez struck him twice on the back with his open hand at a March 8 baseball game on school property, the Sun-News said.

The District Attorney's Office is investigation the allegation and will decide whether to move forward with the charge, which carries a penalty of up to six months in jail, Deputy District Attorney Quinn Martin told the Sun-News.

New Mexico is one of the few states that allow a private citizen to file a petty misdemeanor criminal complaint, said Martin, who told the Sun-News his office only got the complaint late last week.

Martinez waived his arraignment on the charge and entered a not-guilty plea on May 1, the paper said.

Meanwhile, Martinez is still on the job at Cobre High School until his contract runs out on June 30, when he will leave to become superintendent of schools in Questa, according to the Sun-News.

7:05am 5/9/08 -- Angry Parents Want Cobre Principal Out: Protesters want to know why administrator is still on the job while being investigated.

A group of angry parents and community members demonstrated outside Cobre High School Thursday, asking why Principal Eric Martinez, who is the subject of an investigation into claims of unethical conduct, is still on the job, the Silver City Sun-News reported.

Martinez, who was accused by a group of parents about three weeks ago of discrimination, harassment and physical and emotional abuse of students, is under a third-party investigation commissioned by the Cobre Consolidated School District, the Sun-News reported.

"Why is this man still on campus while this investigation is going on?" asked former school board member Carlos Merino, who has spearheaded the drive against Martinez. "I feel that Dr. (Superintendent Harrell) Holder should put this man on administrative leave with pay pending the investigation. We intend to demonstrate here until something is done."

Holder told the Sun-News in an interview Thursday that school policy does not require that an employee under investigation be put on leave.

Daniella Montoya, public information officer for the state Public Education Department, also told the Sun-News there is no state requirement for an employee to be put on administrative leave during an investigation into alleged ethical misconduct.

Holder also told the paper he has yet to receive a written charge of abuse from parents or students, and that the parents' concerns are being studied by an independent investigator and an attorney representing the school district.

With less than a month to go in the school year, Martinez is expected to finish his contract and move on to a new position as superintendent of schools in Questa, the Sun-News said.

Montoya said parents are permitted to bring allegations of misconduct to the state Public Education Department, the paper reported.

"We investigate every legitimate complaint," Montoya said. "A legitimate complaint is one that is not anonymous." 

7:30am 4/30/08 -- Cobre Schools To Investigate Principal: Embattled official said to be offered superintendent's job in Questa.

The Cobre Consolidated School District has commissioned an investigator and an attorney to investigate claims of abuse brought by some 30 parents and students in the district against Cobre High School Principal Eric Martinez, the Silver City Sun-News reported.

Superintendent Harrell Holder told the Sun-News that the district's law firm will provide an attorney to interview parents and catalog allegations against Martinez, who has been accused of verbally and physically abusing students, the Sun-News said.

The case is now in the hands of the district's law firm, the Cuddy Law Firm, which has handled similar situations in other school districts, Holder told the paper.

The investigation should take about a week, Holder said. 

Meanwhile, Holder said Martinez has taken another job outside the school district and will be leaving at the end of the school year, the Sun-News reported.

"He is taking a superintendent's position in the Questa School District," Holder said. "This was something he was planning prior to these allegations."

According to Holder, Martinez previously worked in the Questa district and was asked by the Questa board of education to apply for the superintendent's job, which he was offered last week, the Sun-News said.

6:45am 4/22/08 -- Cobre Principal Under Fire: Some parents seek legal help to remove official for alleged mistreatment of students.

Angry parents met Sunday night in Bayard to express their frustration with Cobre High School Principal Eric Martinez and vowed to seek legal help to remove Martinez for what some claimed was his mistreatment and abuse of students, the Silver City Sun-News reported.

Cobre Schools Superintendent Harrell Holder told the Sun-News Monday he was unaware of the parents' meeting but said he had met with every parent and student who had complained about Martinez in the past.

"Some complaints are legitimate and some are not. I discuss the issue with both the parent and the student and I come up with a conclusion on how I'm going to react to each complaint," Holder told the paper. "Parents are not always in agreement with decisions administration have made with regard to their children."

Efforts to reach Martinez on Monday were unsuccessful, the Sun-News reported.

One parent, Diana Flores, told the paper that her son is among many children that Martinez bullies and threatens.

"They don't need their principal telling them they are losers and they have no potential," Flores told the Sun-News.

Flores also said parents raised the issue with the school board on April 14 but the board told them they had no authority to deal with the situation, said the Sun-News, which was unable to reach board members after repeated attempts.

Other parents interviewed by the Sun-News outside the high school on Monday had varying opinions about Martinez.

Parent Cassandra Fritz told the paper she hadn't had any trouble with the principal.

"I felt he was very fair," Fritz told the Sun-News. "I do know some of the teachers don't like him, but he seems fair, at least with my daughter." 

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