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For the first time in its 131-year-history, Albuquerque Public Schools has an all-female Board of Education.
The change in the board’s make-up came Wednesday evening after four newly elected members – Danielle Gonzales, District 3; Crystal Tapia-Romero, District 5; Josefina Domínguez, District 6; and Courtney Jackson, District 7 – were sworn into office.
Three of the new members are also graduates of APS high schools.
The new members will join current board members Yolanda Montoya Cordova, Peggy Muller-Aragón and Barbara Petersen.
As the pandemic approaches the two-year mark and the omicron variant spreads, the new school board will have to continue to navigate policy issues related to pandemic concerns, along with perennial issues related to the district’s budget.
It is unclear what path the new school board will take in deciding policy now that more than half of the board members are new. But during the November election, several of the new board members expressed hesitancy about mask and vaccine mandates.
In addition to swearing in the new members, Wednesday’s meeting also included votes for board leadership positions.
Montoya Cordova, who represents District 1 and has served on the board since 2018, was elected president, replacing David Peercy, who did not seek reelection, and Muller-Aragón, District 2, will serve as vice president.
Newcomer Jackson was elected board secretary.
