OAKNM op-ed: Dow: Governor focused on school lunch policies while ignoring student outcomes

The following opinion piece by OAKNM Program Director Rebecca Dow appeared in the Albuquerque Journal on May 3, 2024 and in the Albuquerque Journal on June 23, 2024 under the title “OPINION: Governor focused on school lunch policies while ignoring student outcomes.”

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There is a concerning trend at the New Mexico Public Education Department: excessive rulemaking that is focused on micromanaging day-to-day operations of school sites rather than addressing the larger, systemic issues that plague New Mexico’s education system.

From taking over control of local school calendars, to the newest nutrition rules, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s heavy hand raises significant questions about her priorities and effectiveness.

Instead of empowering local educators and administrators to tailor solutions to their community’s needs, MLG is channeling her energy into areas that distract from real educational reforms. New Mexico’s public education system has always struggled with underperforming schools, low graduation rates, significant achievement gaps.

Under MLG’s heavy hand we are now seeing chronic student absenteeism, increased turnover in school administration, and annual declining student enrollment. The last thing students in public education need is regulatory distractions and taxpayer funded legal battles between districts and MLG.

Schools districts had no choice but to file a suit against Gov. Lujan Grisham. The 53 districts suing her allege she is writing rules that contradict state statutes. This legal challenge, paired with new and equally challenging school lunch rules, underscores a broader issue: the governor seems to prefer “doing something” to actually fostering evidence-based educational strategies that will increase student outcomes.

When time and resources are spent on micromanaging school lunch policies, we risk losing focus on what really matters — driving systemic educational changes that can make a lasting impact on student outcomes.

Governors are elected to set visionary goals and to pave ambitious paths forward, not to get bogged down in daily administrative tasks. It’s high time for Gov. Lujan Grisham to pivot her focus to where it is desperately needed: the core educational outcomes that will make a real difference for New Mexico’s students.

The state’s educational woes cannot be remedied by sifting through the minutiae of school lunch policies or local calendars.

School choice gives parents, students and educators the ability to choose the educational environment best suited to their needs. New Mexico can foster competition, innovation, and accountability within our school systems. School choice can serve as a catalyst for elevating educational standards, addressing achievement gaps and improving graduation rates.

It shifts the focus back to student-centered outcomes rather than regulatory distractions.

If she were willing to stand up for students and against the unions, Gov. Lujan Grisham would champion a visionary reform that empowers local educators and puts New Mexico’s students first. It’s a change that could genuinely uplift our educational landscape and offer every child a brighter future.

In the meantime, another report — Kids Count — ranks New Mexico dead-last in education. And our children wait and struggle while the governor focuses her attention on mandating 5-day school weeks and micromanaging school lunch policies.

Rebecca Dow, Truth or Consequences, formerly served as a representative in the New Mexico House of Representatives.