So what’s the point? Let’s fight for our kids

DURING THE APS school board meeting Feb. 3, board member Candelaria Patterson asked “what is the point of returning now?” To Patterson and the board: The point is that we are in a fight to save our future.

The fight is being waged on two fronts.

First is a fight for our children’s future. In addition to the obvious importance of book learning, the classroom, schoolyard and athletic fields are critical places for children to learn life skills. Examples include learning how to interact with their peers, the difference between right and wrong, dealing with success and failure, and forming social bonds — sometimes lifelong friendships. Our children fall further behind in these areas every day we keep them out of school. A large group of the kids learning virtually are already falling behind; some will never recover. Our community is counting on you to help stop the free-fall.

Secondly, we are fighting for the future of New Mexico. The educational system in our state is already behind most of the country, continuing to hurt students with ineffective virtual learning will put them further behind. Our athletes, drama students, band members are losing time perfecting their skills, putting them behind kids from our neighboring states. I have already mentioned that a large number of the now-failing students will never recover. In time, this will result in increased drug addiction, crime, homelessness and a decrease in tourism. The mental stress placed on the remaining students will drive those with the ability and/or means out of New Mexico, hurting the state’s tax base . ... Fight for our kids. Fight for New Mexico. Do your job. Get our kids into the classroom now.

JOE LYLE Albuquerque