Dear New Mexicans,
Through our working group of 200+ NM educators, school personnel, and parents, we are able to get an overarching view of issues that are affecting school districts across the state.
Below is an update on the following current issues in NM schools:
Sexually Explicit Age-Inappropriate Books
Transgender Bathroom Issues
Violence and Behavior Issues
NOTE: Any concerned parents, teachers, or school personnel who want to get involved can contact Sarah Smith at concernedfornm@gmail.com to join the NM Schools working group.
SIDE NOTE: The prevalence of these issues in NM schools is one reason some parents are now considering home schooling, hybrid schooling, and school coops. We have a guide to homeschooling in NM on our website here: https://www.nmfa.us/post/concerned-about-kids-schooling-info-about-alternatives
CURRENT CONCERNS ABOUT NM SCHOOLS
Current concerns from educators, school personnel, and parents across the state include the following:
SEXUALLY EXPLICIT AGE-INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS
There are sexually explicit books that are age-inappropriate for children and young teens in many districts across NM, including (but not limited to) Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Gallup, Chaparral, Santa Teresa, and Gadsden.
Age-inappropriate books are in both middle schools and high schools. Some schools have these books in their libraries and some teachers have assigned such books as assignments.
The books include content such as illegal sex acts between children and adults, an underage teen having bondage anal sex with an overage adult, a teen taking nude photos of himself to send to others, teens smoking pot and getting blackout drunk so they cannot remember whether they had sex the night before, descriptions of sex acts between teachers and young students, detailed scenes of incest and child molestation, etc.
Below are some images of pages from some of the inappropriate books. Norwegian Wood is an "erotic" book that is assigned reading for 11th grade students at Mandela International Magnet School in Santa Fe and is in school libraries in various districts. A Court of Silver Flames is an "erotic romance" book that is in NM middle schools and high schools in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Chaparral, Santa Teresa, and other locations.
Sarah Smith (NMFA) and Juan Garcia (CCIA) are challenging age-inappropriate books in Las Cruces Public Schools. This is a nuanced issue that needs to be undertaken strategically with knowledge of the existing legal precedents.
Any parents or teachers who are interested in getting involved in this issue in their own districts can contact Sarah at concernedfornm@gmail.com.
TRANSGENDER BATHROOM ISSUES
We have shared information previously about NM school districts hiding information about gender identity from parents. Additionally, NM passed a state law in 2023 that allows children to access transgender or abortion care without parental consent or notification (and requires school nurses and teachers to facilitate access to transgender or abortion care or else be penalized with $5,000 fines).
Public school districts around the state have already implemented policies allowing transgender students to use whichever bathrooms and locker rooms they choose to.
Recently, St Michael's High School (a private Catholic school in Santa Fe) notified parents that transgender students and teachers will be allowed to use whichever bathrooms and locker rooms they choose.
Parents are very concerned about this policy, yet the school is moving forward on implementing it anyway. This violates' girls rights to privacy and security.
You may have heard that a 12 year old girl was raped in a "gender neutral" bathroom at a school in Rio Rancho. https://thepostmillennial.com/exclusive-female-student-alleges-she-was-raped-in-trans-inclusive-bathroom-at-new-mexico-middle-school
NM parents and teachers have reported that females do not feel safe or secure using gender neutral bathrooms. Some girls are trying to "hold it" all day to avoid using the school bathrooms. This is not a healthy practice.
VIOLENCE AND BEHAVIOR ISSUES
This year's Kindergartners are developmentally stunted, likely as a result of COVID mask and lockdown policies beginning when they were toddlers. The kindergartners generally have poor emotional understanding and regulation. The children are acting out more and creating more challenges for teachers.
Fights between students are common in some districts. There are generally no consequences imposed on the students who are fighting.
Destruction of boys' bathrooms is happening in various districts across the state. Students purposely destroy paper towel holders, clog toilets, damage toilets/urinals, rip bathroom stall doors off, etc. Students often video record these activities to post online.
Many staff and students do not feel safe in school bathrooms due to the behavior issues, vaping, and transgender issues.
Kids are acting out in class, including throwing chairs, hitting teachers, etc.
In school suspensions are often seen as desirable by students in some districts since they can then just mess around in the suspension room instead of attending class.
The NM Schools working group is currently working on developing potential solutions to behavior issues in NM schools. Feel free to reply if you know of other behavior issues or effective solutions in schools.
VAPING AND CANNABIS
There are issues related to vaping and cannabis at many schools.
School bathrooms, in particular, are places where students are known to be vaping nicotine and marijuana concentrates.
Studies have shown that legalization of cannabis and increased density of cannabis dispensaries both lead to a lower perception of risk in adolescents, leading to increased substance abuse by children. Here is one such study, and I can share additional references if desired. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajad.13132
We will continue to advocate for the children of New Mexico.
Standing with you for the health and well-being of NM's children,
Sarah, Melanie, and Karen
New Mexico Freedoms Alliance
National Coalition for Health Integrity