Tabling bills hurts our teachers, students

SEVERAL LAWMAKERS this (past legislative session worked) hard to table — aka kill — bills that would benefit teachers and students. It’s the kind of political power maneuvering that I had hoped was not occurring in Santa Fe, and certainly was never exposed to as a fifthgrade teacher in Eunice.

Over and over again I have watched many key legislators – that New Mexico’s teachers and citizens have ostensibly elected to office – work hard to table bills that would ultimately elevate our profession and help students. It has left me feeling somewhat hopeless and quite frustrated. Hopeless because the voice of the everyday New Mexico teacher is often brushed aside. Frustrated because it seems that party loyalty is regularly placed ahead of New Mexico’s students and teachers. Here are a couple of examples I’ve witnessed:

House Bill 310 was killed by Democratic lawmakers. It would have guaranteed a 2.5 percent pay raise for all teachers and put millions into teacher recruitment and mentoring. (Lawmakers) ultimately voted to table what would have been a historic teacher compensation bill.

House Bill 177 was killed by Democratic lawmakers in a different committee because it would have given every teacher the opportunity to climb the ladder and make more money without having to spend time and resources going back to get their master’s degree .... It was overwhelmingly supported by 80 percent of Level II educators based on a survey conducted by Teach Plus, but our legislators on a 3-2 vote chose to table it . ...

Yet again, a familiar chorus echoes through the Roundhouse and our teachers and students are not given the opportunity to aim higher, to do better, and to reach further for our students.

To make matters worse, the state’s two historic teachers’ unions – the ones that are supposed to be standing up for us as teachers, not to mention for our students – oppose many if not all of the good bills that would actually elevate our profession and improve student achievement.

When will enough be enough? What will it take for every legislator to represent their most important constituency — our students — as various legislation hits their desk? ... Now, I move that we pass a motion to stop tabling our teachers and kids in New Mexico! Do I have a second for this motion? ISAAC RIVAS-SAVELL NMPED teacher liaison