AFT News:

ALBUQUERQUE — American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly and American Federation of Teachers New Mexico Executive Vice President Kathy Chavez released the following statement:

“Since the initial school closure in mid-March, the prospect of what a return to school would look like has been a driving topic of conversation for New Mexico’s public education students, our families, and thousands of educators across the state.

“To be clear, we believe Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and NM PED have been inclusive in stakeholder input both through surveys of public educators, families, and students, and has been thoughtful in its deliberations through the NM PED School Reentry Task Force.

“At every juncture, we have been cognizant that school reentry hinges on the ability to provide in-person instruction in a way that is safe for both students, but also educators, which includes classified personnel. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the NM PED share that goal, and we believe any level of reentry requires student and educator safety to be paramount.

“As we continue to evaluate the final guidance offered by the Governor and NM PED for school reentry, we call on local school districts to include local union officers in their decision-making process as we work collaboratively towards reentry. Many of the individual prescriptions, while made in the best of intentions, will need to be considered locally between districts and our local union members. We are encouraged that many of our local unions and school districts are already taking these proactive steps.

“We agree with Governor Lujan Grisham, the NM PED, and other professional and community stakeholders that in-person instruction cannot be replaced by permanent, on-line learning. We are ready to work with the NM PED and local school districts to achieve this shared goal, while prioritizing the health and safety of all who enter our schools and our care.”