OPINION: We must support the needs of every students

Late last year I had the honor of working with a refugee education initiative. I met with educators supporting young people who are fleeing civil war, ethnic persecution and unimaginable violence. In the face of such trauma, there is collective understanding that students struggle to focus on learning. The priorities for educators in these settings are clear:

• Provide emotional, social and physical safety.
• Foster reliable, respectful relationships with peers and adults.
• Equip students with skills to navigate their emotions, make sense of their experiences and integrate these into their identities and futures.

While we are not in the midst of a civil war, New Mexico students also face significant challenges — trauma, instability, and hardship — that affect their ability to engage in learning. When students are dealing with such stress, their brains are often in survival mode, which makes it difficult for them to access the cognitive skills needed for academic success. In these conditions, emotional and social safety must be prioritized in order for students — and educators — to be able to engage fully in the learning process.

New Mexicans have a deep commitment to family, community and respect for each person’s identity. Feeling like you belong is fundamental to safety and well-being. Growing up in Santa Fe in the 1960s, I knew I belonged in school. My family spoke English like my teachers, and I saw people who looked like me in the books we read. Our home was filled with books, and my parents were engaged in our education, helping us make sense of the world. Schools, in those days, felt made for families like mine.

Many students in New Mexico, however, do not experience this same sense of belonging. The Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit exposed how the state’s public education system fails to meet the needs of many students, especially those from low-income, rural, and Indigenous communities. It underscores how crucial it is for us to ensure that every child receives not only the academic resources but also the emotional and social supports they need to thrive. This historic educational equity ruling calls for immediate action to address these disparities — and for the state to develop a comprehensive education plan that not only honors the diverse identities and lived experiences of our students but also prioritizes their health and wellness supports, ensuring they have the resources to overcome the challenges they face.

The Yazzie/Martinez decision is a powerful reminder that the well-being of our students cannot be separated from their ability to succeed academically. As a state, we have the opportunity — and the responsibility — to create schools where students feel truly safe and where their diverse identities are celebrated. Schools must be places of emotional safety, curiosity, creativity and empathy.

New Mexico’s spirit of unity and respect for cultural diversity calls us to act. It is time to create an education plan that goes beyond academic support and includes a strong focus on students’ health and wellness, ensuring that we build the conditions of emotional, social and physical safety that students need to thrive. Schools must be places where every student feels they belong, where their identities are celebrated, and where their well-being is central to their success. Let’s fulfill the promise made by the Yazzie/Martinez ruling and ensure that our education system supports not only the academic needs but also the mental, emotional, cultural and physical health of every student. The future of our children — and the future of New Mexico — depends on it.