New Mexicans believe Santa Fe Democrats will turn around New Mexico’s public education system despite decades of failing grades. That is why New Mexicans approve more money for education yearly and wonder why our children can’t learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. The Albuquerque Journal editorial wrote what many think, Mississippi turned around its failed education system, so why not New Mexico? Yes, Why Not New Mexico?
The Evidence
Mississippi is a Right to Work state that ensure parent and student interests do not compete with the teacher unions. The teacher’s union control the New Mexico legislature via Mimi Stewart, AFT Union member, and Senate Pro Tem. KQRE recently reported that Stewart proposed a cap on union-targeted charter schools (similar to the 2019 bill). A statement that is good for the teacher unions and bad for parent/student choices.
Mississippi focuses on students learning reading, writing, and arithmetic. Santa Fe Democrats focus on student indoctrination. Breitbart 2021 headline, “Whistleblower: Albuquerque Social Studies “Recommended Books’ All About Race, Queerness.” Recently Project Veritas posted an audio revealing “Mandatory CDC Guidelines on Transgender Ideology In New Mexico Schools.”
Mississippi spends approximately ten percent more per student than New Mexico. However, the gap may be more significant when New Mexico’s inefficiency is factored in. The Albuquerque Journal recently reported that APS administrative staff increased while student enrollment decreased. When APS enrollment dropped, APS wasn’t concerned about what happened to the students, only assuring the teacher and administrators that they would not lose their jobs. APS has demonstrated that their priority is their union staff, not their students.
New Mexico’s educational budget will be $3.5 billion. How much of the $3.5 billion is siphoned off before it reaches the students? In 2021 Sherryl Williams Stapleton, AFT Union member and NM Speaker of the House, was indicted by the DOJ for racketeering and money laundering of all the federal grant money received for educational software. But is Sherryl Williams Stapleton just the tip of the corruption iceberg? If the DOJ can quickly uncover corruption in the NM Education system, why not NM AG and NM Auditor? Maybe because they have agreed to focus on Republicans and give a pass to Santa Fe Democrats.
The Path Forward
Put parents and students first by breaking the teacher unions’ stranglehold on our education system. New Mexico could reverse the damage done when Bill Richardson recognized the teacher unions. Education dollars belong to the parents and students, not the failed New Mexico education system, not to the teacher’s union, and not in the hands of corrupt Santa Fe Democrats.
Allow parents and students to hold schools, administrators, and teachers accountable. Parents and students should be able to sue Schools for failing to educate our youngest generation. In addition, parents and students should be able to sue for psychological damages associated with critical race theory and gender identity chaos.
It is time to replace Federally Indicted Sherryl Williams Stapleton’s name with businesswoman and NM Representative Jane Powdrell-Culbert on the African American Performing Arts Center and Exhibit Hall. In addition, New Mexicans demand an independent audit (the NM State Auditor is not independent) of the Education Budget.
MICK RICH is host of the public affairs broadcast “To the Point with Mick Rich,” which will air statewide in New Mexico on KCHF-TV and in Albuquerque on 96.9FM / 700AM.
