Letters to the Editor

Cover, Aug. 11: “Attacked on Campus”

Failing school board

In multiple ways, the school board is failing its responsibility to ensure that learning is being done in a safe school environment: 1) Violent Crimes: Since 2016, there have been at least 20 assault/battery cases. 2) Drugs: Recent grads report that drugs are routinely sold on campus; the dealer is caught and returns to campus selling within a week. 3) Class attendance: The board is failing to enforce the regulation that attendance be taken for every class. 4) Known “supervision-free danger zones”: some students have reported that they are afraid to use the bathrooms because of the drugs and sex, so some students try to wait until they get home. In fact, poor emotional and physical safety in school results in diminished academic performance.

The leadership of the Santa Fe School Board is missing in action when students are forced to take responsibility for their own safety. I support Patricia Vigil-Stockton, District 2 candidate, who has taken a strong stand for policies to protect students from those who are “known to be dangerous” and for a strongly managed presence of security guards.

Judy Ross, Santa Fe

News, Oct. 25: “Vigilance for Vacancies”

Not a good idea

All the money it took to get a teaching certificate and a BFA and licensure, and now people are not needing one? New Mexico is one of the worst states as it is for education why would anyone in government think this is a good idea. Surely there are other ways to get qualified teachers.

Katherine Forrest via Facebook