RPNM Legislative Update - Lowering Standards is the Answer According to Democratic Lawmaker

State Representative Mimi Stewart (a Democrat from Albuquerque) has introduced legislation that perfectly illustrates what has gone wrong in our state under decades of a Democrat-controlled Legislature. Instead of offering positive reforms that better educate our children to help them meet the needs of their future, Representative Stewart's HB 66 provides a different approach: lower your standards to improve the graduation numbers. Education is about much more than numbers; it is about the children who will be put at a disadvantage when competing in the real world under the hopelessly flawed education system created by HB 66.

When faced with our state's low graduation "numbers" and our broken education system, Representative Stewart—and anyone who supports her bill—have decided that the answer is not to fix the dysfunctional education system. Instead, they believe we should lower the expectations from our students. Stewart's bill, HB 66, creates two diplomas—one with the current standards, which is referred to as the "New Mexico Diploma of Excellence," and one with lower standards, referred to as the "New Mexico General Diploma." HB 66 is not a solution, and it would undoubtedly create a much steeper climb to success for every New Mexico student when they are competing with their peers from other states. (See more here).

Responsible lawmakers will be fighting to make sure our children can read at grade level by providing them with the best possible teachers in the classroom. We all know that when our students graduate from New Mexico schools, they are in direct competition with students from across the world to go into the workforce or to get into college. We owe it to our children to make a better education system—not to dumb it down.

Let Representative Stewart know that New Mexico children possess the same mental intellect as students all over the world, and we don't need to dumb down their education. This is insulting to our children, to the parents, to the hardworking teachers of the state, and to all who have been educated in the state of New Mexico.We do, however, need to build a strong educational foundation for each New Mexico child with the help of quality teachers who are given the "tools and time" to teach properly. Her bill is not the answer, and it is truly appalling. In fact, HB 66 is part of the problem. It is a clear reminder of the "lower your standards" attitude that has plagued the Democrat-controlled State Legislature for far too long and kept us at the bottom of all the good lists. Our children deserve better!

We urge you to directly contact Representative Stewart at (505)986-4842 or mimi.stewart@nmlegis.gov and to follow up by contacting your local Legislators.
https://chumly.com/n/221b676