An open letter, representing the concerns of over 200 New Mexico teachers and school personnel, was recently drafted by Sarah Smith of the New Mexico Freedoms Alliance. Addressed to New Mexico Education Secretary Arsenio Romero, the letter highlights a multitude of issues that educators face daily, with a particular emphasis on the pervasive violence in New Mexico schools.
Sarah Smith, representing New Mexico teachers and as an Executive Committee member at New Mexico Freedoms Alliance, outlined the severity of these issues in her statements. "Besides acting out in class, some students are violent to the point of threatening and assaulting teachers, beating up other students, throwing chairs in classrooms, etc," said Smith. She also noted that "Substance abuse issues are also widespread." The constant disruptions were highlighted as she stated that "Students who go to school to learn have their education interrupted incessantly." Furthermore, Smith pointed out that "Student behavior problems are also causing teacher burnout and are a huge reason why many teachers are leaving the education profession."
The letter underscores that teachers wish to hold students accountable for their behavior and seek more effective training to manage such problems. It suggests that behavioral issues are rampant in New Mexico's schools and necessitate immediate action. Teachers reportedly lack adequate training on managing behavioral problems or intervening in fights. The letter further argues that consequences for students' violent actions do not sufficiently deter such behaviors and proposes expulsion as a potential solution for ensuring the safety of both teachers and other students.
The open letter details eight primary changes desired by the group which directly relate to the behavioral challenges faced by New Mexican schools. One such change is a reduction in class size with specific limits proposed for different grade levels. Another suggested change is ending social promotion, thereby allowing teachers to retain students who aren't ready for advancement due to excessive time spent helping them catch up while neglecting other pupils.
Additionally, they propose holding parents accountable for ensuring student attendance given that over 39% of students were chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year. The letter also advocates for local school districts to retain control over educational decisions and emphasizes a focus on core academic subjects rather than expanding the curriculum. Lastly, it calls upon the New Mexico Public Education Department to take responsibility for what it describes as "worsening" educational outcomes due to COVID policies.
A press release accompanying the open letter quoted several teachers, including one from Albuquerque who said, "Teachers and students are then missing out on quality education because of the extra classroom management time and lower behavior standards. We need the schools and the PED to have our backs, taking action to protect us from violence at school."
The New Mexico Freedoms Alliance, according to its website, is a non-partisan group established in 2020 with a mission to promote "civil liberties and constitutional representative government." Sarah Smith serves on the Executive Committee of this nonprofit organization and is committed to "protecting and restoring freedoms for today's children and the generations to come."