Stefani Lord, a House Representative from New Mexico, has expressed concerns regarding the Rio Rancho School Employees’ Union. She said that the union prioritizes partisan activism over student outcomes and called for a renewed focus on education. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"The Rio Rancho School Employees' Union has stopped being about teachers or students and has become a campaign arm of the radical Left," said Lord, New Mexico State Representative for 22nd District (R). "Instead of supporting educators or improving outcomes, they're promoting “No Kings” rallies, pushing anti-Trump propaganda, and calling conservatives fascists, which encourages division and violence. If they cared half as much about our kids as they do about politics, New Mexico's schools might finally start improving."
The Rio Rancho School Employees’ Union (RRSEU) has been active in organizing several "No Kings" rallies in 2025. These events have been promoted through their official website, rrseu.net, and covered by KUNM, which described them as constitution-themed demonstrations featuring music and community outreach. The union's event listings for June 14 and October 18 indicate ongoing organizing efforts. However, the Rio Rancho Public Schools district has not issued any formal comment on these rallies.
According to the New Mexico Public Education Department, Rio Rancho Public Schools have maintained relatively high graduation rates despite mixed proficiency results. The district’s 2024 cohort graduation rate reached 85.7%, with V. Sue Cleveland High School reporting 87.2% and Rio Rancho High School at 86.1%. NM Vistas data indicates that reading proficiency for Rio Rancho Elementary stood at 39% for the academic year 2023–2024, reflecting broader statewide trends of academic recovery following the pandemic.
Teacher unions continue to play a significant role in New Mexico's educational landscape. As reported by the Albuquerque Journal via Yahoo News, local teachers' unions and education nonprofits were among the top campaign spenders in the 2025 APS school-board races. Additionally, AFT New Mexico and NEA-NM released endorsement slates for state and federal races in 2024, highlighting organized labor's ongoing influence on education policy.
Lord is a Republican member of the New Mexico House of Representatives representing District 22, which includes parts of Bernalillo and Torrance Counties. First elected in 2020 and serving since January 1, 2021, she is a small-business owner focused on public safety and government reform issues and serves on related House committees.
