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RE: “Martinez Moves On Teacher Reviews” by Hailey Heinz, Albuquerque Journal, April 12:
It is time to impeach Gov. Susana Martinez, as she has again thwarted the concerns and decisions of the voters of New Mexico. In the first place, her designated Secretary of Education, Hanna Skandera, is not a “qualified, experienced educator” as required by the Constitution of the State of New Mexico. (Article 12, Education, Section 6 Public Education Department, Paragraph A: “The department shall be a cabinet department headed by a secretary of public education who is a qualified, experienced educator who shall be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.”)
The Legislature has rightly refused to accept the governor’s appointment.
Second, for the “Public Education Department to move forward with a plan that would measure teachers based partly on student achievement,” all students in our public schools must first receive sufficient grounding and all teachers must have access to the professional development they may require.
Basic reading and arithmetical understanding is necessary for students to reach established goals. We must confirm that our state’s universities are providing the appropriate course work for educators and that supplemental services with peer leaders are available for all who may need them. Then, we can measure teachers’ achievements.
Rating our teachers and our schools on the basis of current outcomes and without providing sufficient remedial instruction — for both teachers and students — will put public education in New Mexico further behind.
New Mexicans have called, written and talked with our legislators to stay the course and not make drastic changes in policy until and unless those strategies have been in place for an adequate period of time.
JUDITH BINDER AND MILTON BOCK
Albuquerque
