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Advocates Say Ruling Holds Promise For Native Students, Heavy Rains Hit Santa Fe

Feliz Mittermeier
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via Pixabay

Advocates Say Ruling Holds Promise For Native American Students- Associated Press

 

It's being billed as a landmark ruling that could reshape New Mexico's education system and how it gets funded.

And some advocates say Native American students are among those who could benefit the most as the state has been tasked by a district judge to follow through with promises made years ago under New Mexico's Indian Education Act.

Adopted in 2003, the act calls for an equitable and culturally relevant learning environment in schools that serve Native American students.

Regis Pecos with the Leadership Institute at the Santa Fe Indian School says the recent court ruling provides a monumental opportunity for tribes to define their vision of education in New Mexico and elsewhere.

State officials plan to appeal, arguing that spending on education has increased. They also say Native American students are now seeing record academic gains.

Advocates Say New Mexico Has A Chance To Close Education Gaps - Associated Press

 

Advocates for New Mexico's vulnerable public school students said Monday the state has a chance at a new start as a district judge ordered education officials to reshape policies and school funding to meet constitutional responsibilities.

Attorneys with the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and dozens of supporters gathered at a park near downtown Albuquerque to celebrate what they called a historic win for New Mexico's at-risk students.

The groups sued in 2014, accusing the state of failing to meeting constitutional obligations to provide a sufficient education for all students.

The case highlighted the plight of English-language learners, Native American youth and students from low-income families.

Attorneys used several years of data on the educational outcomes of students in New Mexico to build their case. Many of those outcomes — reading and math scores along with graduation rates and the need for remedial courses — were defined as dismal by Judge Sarah Singleton in the ruling issued Friday.

Criticism of New Mexico's education system has spanned governors from both sides of the aisle and has long troubled the state Legislature, which for decades has been dominated by Democrats. In 2008, a study of statewide education funding commissioned by lawmakers suggested New Mexico's system was underfunded by about $300 million.

Advocates on Monday acknowledged the persistent struggle but said they're hopeful the ruling will set the stage for solving systemic problems.

"Today is really about doing what we should have been doing all along. Today was about doing the right thing by our kids," said Veronica Garcia, former state education secretary and now head of the Santa Fe school district.

 

Heavy Rainstorm Hits Santa Fe, Damages Infrastructure- Albuquerque Journal, Santa Fe New Mexican, Associated Press

Raging waters from the Santa Fe River and arroyos have caused damage to Santa Fe homes, city facilities and infrastructure following a heavy rainstorm.

More than 3 inches of rainfall were reported in some areas of northern Santa Fe County on Monday evening.

The storm also caused a power outage in some parts of the city.

A Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office spokesman tells the Santa Fe New Mexican that despite flooded arroyos and roadways covered in debris, no serious accidents or injuries were reported as of 9 p.m. Monday.

City Manager Erik Litzenberg tells the Albuquerque Journalthat there are a number of homes and infrastructure that will need to be stabilized and repaired.

The National Weather Service says more rain is likely throughout the week.

 

Grants Police Hit With Resignations Amid 'Low Morale'- Gallup Independent, Associated Press

 

A city in western New Mexico has been hit with resignations from its police department.

The Gallup Independent reports two Grants police sergeants, a corporal, a lieutenant and a secretary put in their resignations last week over low morale.

Police Chief Steve Chavez says he has heard from employees that morale is low, but no one is telling him why.

Chavez, who took over the department in June, says he wished the departing employees had given him a chance.

The department is slotted for up to 18 sworn positions and three on the clerical staff.

The resignations come after Chavez changed officer shifts from a 10-hour day to an eight- hour day to curb overtime.

Land Managers Defer Drilling Near Carlsbad Caverns- Albuquerque Journal, Associated Press

 

Federal land managers have opted for more time to study the potential effects of oil and gas operations near Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southeastern New Mexico.

A proposed lease sale first announced last spring had included more than two dozen parcels that were within 10 miles of the park, sparking concern among environmentalists.

The Bureau of Land Management on Monday published its final proposal for the September lease sale and excluded at total of 31 parcels to allow for the agency to study the local geology and its interaction with groundwater.

The Albuquerque Journal reports environmentalists still have concerns about air quality as development expands in the Permian Basin along the Texas-New Mexico border. They want officials to postpone new lease sales until the agency completes a new resource management plan for the area.

 
Trial Set For Ex-New Mexico Daycare Workers In Hot Car Case - Eastern NM News, Associated Press
 
A trial date has been set for two former New Mexico daycare owners charged with leaving two children in a hot car last year.

The Eastern New Mexico News reports 31-year-old Sandi Taylor and 62-year-old Mary Taylor will face trial from Sept. 24 to 28 in connection with the death of a toddler.

The mother and daughter pair were indicted in last August on one count of child abuse resulting in great bodily harm and one count of child abuse resulting in death.

Authorities say 22-month-old Maliyah Jones was pronounced dead and Aubrianna Loya, who recently turned 2, was critically injured after the Taylors left them in a hot car for 90 minutes. Authorities say the temperature in Portales, New Mexico, hit the mid-90s that day.