Phill Casaus: Athletics lawsuit means it's going to be hot, steamy in Española

Jul. 15—My favorite point in any TV newscast comes at weather time, when the guy or gal in front of the green screen chirps: "The nation's high temperature today was 121 degrees in Gila Bend, Ariz. The low was 34 in Alamosa, Colo."

That's what a school board meeting is for me: a study in wild, discordant extremes. They're either incredibly pedantic or melodramatic, full of intrigue that is part A-1 newspaper headline, part Soap Opera Digest.

And so it shall be in Española, where one school board member, Ruben Archuleta, is suing his fellow board members and the Española Public Schools superintendent, among others. The lawsuit stems from what Archuleta and his wife, Tina, claim was mistreatment of their son, Luke Archuleta, by the Sundevils' assistant basketball coach, Filiberto Dominguez, during a summer league game a year ago.

The New Mexican's Will Webber wrote a long story about this case last week, and I'd point you to Thursday's newspaper for the exhaustive details. In essence, the Archuletas are objecting to what they allege were curses and a poke in the head endured by their son during a summer league basketball game a year ago. Luke Archuleta later was cut from the Española Valley program and now attends school in Los Alamos, according to the lawsuit.

I have no idea how this will turn out and wouldn't presume to judge the claims in the lawsuit.

But I do know this.

Ruben and Tina Archuleta vs. Board of Education for Española Public Schools; Filiberto "Fil" Dominguez; Joey Trujillo; Holly Martinez; Matthew Abeyta and Michael Chavez likely will end under the heading of either: (A) helicopter parenting, jock division; (B) Cro-Magnon coaching of the lowest order; or (C) "We're not winning enough games here."

It's letters B and C with which I'm most familiar. For the past 30 or 40 years, almost anyone with a whistle has been warned: "Thou shalt not touch the point guard! No matter how mad you are!" And yet, every now and again, Coach Retro will forget all that training. Letter C? Maybe, just maybe, the once-mighty Sundevils aren't kicking butt in boys basketball anymore, perhaps because — ahem — the right kids aren't playing.

I dunno. I assume the court will shake this snow globe. But if there's a thought lawyers for the plaintiffs and defendants will get together and play a game called Out-of-Court Settlement Poker, I don't think that's going to happen. Not this time.

What's fascinating here, of course, is Ruben Archuleta's dual roles as a parent duty-bound to protect his kid, and elected official sworn to protect Española's public schools.

These days, it's almost expected a parent will fly air cover for one of his own in an athletics venue, even if it takes a lawyer to co-pilot.

But as a school board member, you're also expected to protect the district, all students, plus the taxpayers and community at large.

Could Archuleta testify in court both as a parent and plaintiff and as defendant and school board member?

Then there's this: Exactly how does Archuleta administrate the Española superintendent — Martinez — he's suing? A school board member's role is to approve policy, the budget, and hire and fire a superintendent. How'd you like to be in on a board discussion that includes Archuleta when it comes time for Martinez's evaluation?

Answers to those questions and maybe 100 more would be fascinating, but of course you won't get them. Neither Archuleta — he's also a regent at Northern New Mexico College — nor school board President Jeremy Maestas returned messages seeking comment. Even Archuleta's lawyer, Ramon Soto, didn't return a message.

It's the way things are done today on all kinds of things. File the papers, then hide behind a flak, a lawyer, the caller ID.

That's their decision. But I've got to think Española Board of Education meetings are going to be appointment viewing for quite some time.

Sounds like they've been that way before. According to a New Mexican story in 2019, Archuleta faced a petty misdemeanor assault charge after a verbal altercation with Maestas during a board meeting. As recently as last week, the Española board and Archuleta himself, among others, were named as defendants in an unrelated whistleblower lawsuit.

But back to Basketball Diaries, Sundevil Style. If Archuleta's lawsuit proceeds, it may provide a backdrop to Española board meetings unlike any people there have ever seen. And through the years, people there have seen plenty from that group.

Does Ruben Archuleta have the right to sue on behalf of his child? You betcha, but he can't be a board member at the same time. At least, not a good one — the kind who represents the other kids, teachers and administrators in his town.

I know it's hot right now. But it feels like 121 degrees in Española.

And maybe 39, too.

Phill Casaus is editor of The New Mexican.