PED Turns Down Cloudcroft Request

I have heard that PED turned down Cloudcroft's request to have the Athletics course in the High School count as a PE credit. Since I was told by PED last year that other schools have requested that their Athletic's program count as a PE credit under the "alternative credit" system, I was wondering why PED would turn down Cloudcroft's request.

Imagine my surprise when I asked for the information via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and was told that no records matched my request. I called PED to follow up and was also surprised that it seemed to make a difference to the PED Public Affairs person if I was asking for this information as a "reporter" or a "concerned citizen." What happens if I'm both?

Below is the FOIA request that I reworded and sent to PED. Hopefully I will get a response. Does anyone out there know of another school district that has Athletics counting towards a PE credit? If so, let me know!

Dear Ms. Friedman,

Yesterday, I spoke with Larry Behrens regarding this request. I asked him if I was phrasing my request incorrectly, as I had been told in the past by Dr. Blair (with PED) that other schools have structured their Athletic's period to count as the state required PE credit. Dr. Blair was the one who told me that other schools had used the "alternative credit" route and gave me the NMAC code. Based upon this information, I believe that other schools have had this approved by PED. I would like to see the wording that these schools used so that Cloudcroft schools can get it's wording correct and not have their next request rejected by PED.

I was concerned that Larry asked me several times if I was seeking this information as a reporter or as a concerned citizen. I happen to be both. When he asked me for the third time if I was requesting this information as a reporter I responded that I could be if I needed to. The tone of the conversation changed quite abruptly and he seemed to be in a hurry to hang up the phone. This makes me wonder if reporters get different information or treatment than concerned citizens. 

Since I believe that the information exists, and that other schools have done this, I am asking again, formally as a FOIA request, that PED provide me with ANY and ALL approved requests for waivers, alternative credits, or any other terminology by which ANY and ALL New Mexico schools have SUCCESSFULLY or UNSUCCESSFULLY requested that PED approve a course as an alternative credit. I would like this information for the past 15 years.

I would appreciate receiving this information in electronic format.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.

Margo Whitt

Concerned Citizen and Reporter