Editor,
As a native New Mexican, it is easy for me to identify the most urgent issue facing our state. While the number of school-age children rises annually, our quality of education isn't meeting our students' needs or our national standards, leaving our children unable to compete in the job market.
It is important to hold our state representatives accountable as members of the community for our state's inability to accomplish educational goals leading to quality jobs for our students. Richard Romero is a native New Mexican who has proven that he understands New Mexico's educational needs by dedicating his career to them.
I question Heather Wilson's dedication to our state and its future. New Mexico's large minority population makes issues relating to minorities paramount in her success as a state representative in Congress. However, according to the nonpartisan National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, she rates poorly in her stance on issues relating directly to the Hispanic community, with a score of only 18 percent. That score speaks poorly of her willingness, or her ability, to fight for our concerns as Latinos.
We live in one of the poorest states in the U.S.; therefore community programs that provide small business help, unemployment assistance, job training and job placement and affordable public housing are vital to our success. Heather Wilson has supported cuts in domestic and community programs, including cuts in Labor, Health and Human Service projects (2000 Budget Conference Report.) Richard Romero supports lowering the income taxes of small business in order to spur, rather than inhibit local economic growth.
One reason our children do not succeed academically is because many of them aren't given the opportunity to do so. New Mexicans are proud to have a multi-cultural community, yet Spanish-speaking children are often denied an adequate education. Bilingual education is a necessity in our state that is specifically protected by the state constitution, but Heather Wilson is working to limit bilingual education. She wants to limit students to a two-year program before sending them on to fend for themselves in English-only classes (English Language Fluency Act.)
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Richard Romero understands the need for English to be taught to our students, and he is fighting for bilingual education and for bilingual educators. He also understands that bilingual education is a process that requires gentle integration as well as English language progression. Heather Wilson is supporting restrictions on services under the Bilingual Education Act, restrictions that would remove disciplines such as math, science and social studies, leaving English as the only priority, and making it impossible for bilingual students to succeed in these areas when placed in English-only classes (Student Results Act.)
It is pretty clear which candidate understands New Mexico's issues and how to advocate for them.
Santiago Servizio
UNM student
