Tell state’s politicians to save our schools

There’s a lot we would like to say about the New Mexico Legislature and its willingness to cut funding for education in this state — and most of it isn’t fit for the pages of a family newspaper. Maybe the best public expression of our frustration is to say to our elected representatives, “Has this state lost its mind?”

We understand the state has a lot less money this year than it has had in past years due to falling oil prices, causing extremely complicated decisions to be made in order to balance the budget. We also know that a huge portion of spending in this state already goes to education, so it is extremely difficult to balance the budget without reducing money to schools. And, we know that our representatives care and are struggling to make the right decisions.

However, we also know that New Mexico schools frequently rank about 49th nationally, and just because we’re not last, it doesn’t mean our schools can make it with less money. Come on, folks, the future of our children and our state depends on our children obtaining a quality education. That’s our moral responsibility, and our children deserve no less. They deserve a lot better than 49th.

Rio Rancho Public Schools has done an outstanding job in its short history and continually ranks as one of the best districts in the state. That has been accomplished through the dedication of its staff and its commitment to excellence. It also, however, takes money to keep enough staff employed and the programs running. Because of decisions by the state, the district already had to cut $3.8 million from the current year’s operational budget. That’s not been easy and resulted in a major reduction to the district’s reserve fund.

Now, the state is threatening to cut a lot more for next year. As Rio Rancho Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sue Cleveland said at last week’s Board of Education meeting, “the sky is falling” because the district is still wrangling with this year’s cuts and suffering because of them — and is faced with an even worse situation next year. In a letter to the editor, Cleveland added, “Our district will no longer look the way it looks today” and explained that changes to electives, shortening the school year, and reductions in specialized programs and athletics may occur.

And the same thing is happening in every district in the state. There will be less money going to all our schools that will affect every child in the state. If you are new to the state, because of New Mexico’s funding formula, all operational money comes directly from the state rather than local property taxes, so these state decisions greatly impact everyone.

Whatever decision the Legislature makes won’t be easy, but education is too important and too vital to mess around with. Our children’s futures are critical. The easy fixes won’t work today, and we can’t ask much more of our educators. We already did that this year. And we must remember there is nothing more important than providing a quality education for the state’s children.

Contact the Senate Finance Committee, the House Appropriations and Finance Committee, the governor, and your senator and representatives. This is a call to action that cannot be ignored and an issue deserving our voices. Save our schools.