This Fiesta, more choices for students

Allowing students to opt out of Fiesta de Santa Fe activities in public schools is the right thing to do. Students who want to see the Fiesta Court sing, dance and discuss Don Diego de Vargas can remain in the gym or auditorium and enjoy. Students who don’t, now have official permission to do other activities. This is such an obvious move that we are surprised it has not been official policy before.

It is customary that just before Fiesta de Santa Fe, members of the Fiesta Court trek to public schools. The folks portraying Don Diego de Vargas, other Spanish soldiers or local Pueblo Indians, as well as the young women serving as La Reina, princesas and Indian princesses, visit children at all district schools.

For some students, though, watching visitors who are commemorating the Spanish reconquest is challenging. That’s especially true since the Fiesta version of the story emphasizes a “peaceful” return of the settlers, leaving out much of the bloodshed that went on before and after Don Diego met with local Pueblo leaders to negotiate a return. Protesters for the past few years have been targeting the Entrada portion of Fiesta celebrations, the re-enactment on Friday of Fiesta of Don Diego’s meeting the Indian leaders. The anti-Fiesta faction has a point — the history is both bloody and painful for many in our region.

In 1680, we remember, the Pueblo people revolted and kicked out the Spanish in a bloody revolution. Don Diego came back in 1692, gaining what he thought was a promise to return, and then came back in full force a year later in a homecoming that was anything but bloodless. For Indian children in the public schools, there is little to celebrate in the reconquest of their homeland. Now, they will have a choice.

Superintendent Veronica García sent a memo last week to staffers that stated: “Students may opt out of Fiesta-related activities. Schools must provide alternative activities for students who have opted out at the time of the Fiesta Court visits.”

García says that “while it is important to recognize the contributions of all people in the shaping of New Mexico’s history and culture, we must be sensitive to the impact of historical events in our state.” Those impacts, as we know, still are felt.

Being sensitive is not bending to political correctness. It does mean acknowledging different perspectives that can form around the historical events. García’s memo stresses that cultural sensitivity — to all cultures — should take place in schools all year long. That’s the right approach.