It amazes me that ANYONE can defend New Mexico’s status quo in education. Gov. Martinez (who to be fair has attempted SOME reforms) touted the supposed “success” of her education reforms in the State of the State address earlier this year.
Recently, (and more problematically) as part of his efforts to preserve the status quo in education, Sen. Heinrich refused to support the reform-minded DeVos and tweeted the following:
I cannot support a nominee who wants to weaken the kinds of public schools that New Mexicans rely on. #NoOnDeVos
— Martin Heinrich (@MartinHeinrich) February 7, 2017
Unfortunately, as almost any data on the issue show, New Mexico’s education system is in dire need of being shaken up and reformed. The latest NAEP reading scores (from 2015), for example, ranked New Mexico an astonishing 52nd (behind the District of Columbia and DoD schools). 4th grade reading is extremely important. Unfortunately, both the Democrat majorities in the Legislature and New Mexico’s senators in Washington are status quo when it comes to education (which reigns supreme even in the local school board elections that just took place).
Alas, while New Mexicans love to talk about getting out of 50th (or 51st or even 52nd), they vote like they are happy to be at the bottom. See the sad map showing NM clocking in at 52nd in 4th grade reading:
As we all know, NM has one of the most miserable K-12 public school systems in the U.S. What are the results of this failing system? The NM Coalition for literacy estimates that an astonishing 46% of NM adults are functional illiterates: http://newmexicoliteracy.org/literacy-facts
Decade after decade, the Democratic controlled state legislature has sided with the forces opposing education change (the teachers’ unions) over providing a quality public school education to our children and grandchildren. Nonetheless, the majority of voters in NM continue to support the Democrat status quo. Not much of a surprise that Forbes rates us as the #1 death spiral state in the country.
I follow both our senators on Facebook, and it’s been amusing to watch them slander every Trump nominee in exhaustive detail. Odd behavior for representatives of a state whose economic driver is federal largesse.
Mr. Heinrich,
You are not failing the system nor are you the problem.
The education problem needs to be solved by giving every parent
the opportunity to choose what they think is best.
That can only mean giving each parent a voucher
to choose what is “right for them”. It’s their $.
Choice also lets parents take responsibility.
I agree with your conclusion, but Sen. Heinrich could be less “part of the problem” if he supported reform at the Department of Education or better still its abolishing.
Since 48% of NM adults are funcrional illiterates, at least 48% of the parents of 0-3 year children are functional illiterates. Their children enter any school system far behind the children of literate parents. In many schools the portion of children with less developed brains is much higher than 48%. There are very conscientous but illiterate families who try hard and send their children well prepared. They also need help. Generational poverty and irresponsible behavior can be reduced by exposing infants to literate and responsible adults through family support programs. Only a small portion of damaged infants are helped now. See You tube Toxic Stress in Children.
The BEST way to change what you refer to is to create jobs, but the left (unions etc.) have stood in the way of initiatives to reduce regulations and create jobs. Right to work, repeal of Davis-Bacon, and just general reductions in regulations/taxes/the size of government are all opposed by NM’s Democrats.
Senator Heinrich regularly sends me e-mails that are embarrassing to read. Both New Mexico senators are on the wrong side of almost every issue and demonstrate over and over that they are nothing but thoughtless political hacks who follow the far left agenda of George Soros et. al. They never come down on the side of what is best for News Mexico or for that matter the United States. I hope NM voters will remember that these two are more about outside interests and themselves that they are about New Mexico’s interests.
Senator Heinrich’s tweet should win the award for most ridiculous tweet of the week from a politician. It seems that he is out of touch with the state of public education in New Mexico. How will our schools ever improve if our elected leaders and voters don’t ever come to grips with what the real problems are in New Mexico’s public schools?
Senator Heinrich and his critics are doing the best theye can in a state where the best and brightest can find life extremely challenging. My education was first rate, but it started with parochial elementary school and was completed at a private Ivy League law school.
My best work was done in public schools at the high school and college level. To say the least, it was a mixed experience. My parents were divided politically, one Democrat and the other Republican. It was a reflection of their different backgrounds, and in the microcosm of our one family, it made for an intense emotional experience that I can see every day in the news about New Mexico.
All New Mexicans must be included in the conversation about education, regardless of their point of view. The experts must, of course, be consulted, but it is within the capacity of each individual to value learning by whatever means are provided, both at home, in school and in the wider learning environment.
When I was young and having a hard time with reading, and life felt tough and very boring, I was able to find escape in the books we had at home. I never achieved any career success at all, but those who predicted I would be locked up for becoming violent or loopy have been disappointed so far.
I read both progressive and conservative ideas, and they sound like my Mama and Daddy arguing in the kitchen back in 1957. The arguments are not helping. I’m not helping. The government is not helping. The world is not helping.
It’s every individual and every family for themselves, and we are lost, escaping the toxic words we hear all around us. We escape the fighting through whatever means we possibly can find.