The Torrance County Commission has adopted legislation aimed at protecting local municipal school district boards of education by instituting state statutes that put powers such as "developing educational policies for school districts and overseeing budgeting and procurement” squarely back in the boards' hands, not Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham or the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED).
"Today at the county commission special session, they amended and passed a resolution to protect the elected school board, allowing them to make decisions that are best for their district without bullying and threats from PED or the governor," New Mexico Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Santa Fe) posted on Facebook. "They also set aside money for legal defense. There are currently two lawsuits going on in the state for the misinterpretation of statutes and illegal removal of elected school board members.”
The new rules come as elected school boards across the state who buck the mask mandate have faced growing criticism from the governor.
Lujan Grisham’s most recent actions include moving to suspend members of the Floyd School Board after they roundly rejected her mandate calling for forcible masking of children indoors and enacting rules where unvaccinated school workers would be subject to weekly testing for COVID-19.
State Sen. David Gallegos (R-Eddy and Lea) is also among the GOP lawmakers pushing for local control on the issue.
The County Commission’s resolution further seeks “to develop short- and longterm strategies for the educational success, health, safety, and welfare of students and staff.”
All three Torrance County board commissioners signed off on the resolution.