If you haven’t already heard by now, Donald Trump and his unelected billionaire sidekick Elon Musk are taking a sledgehammer to the Department of Education.
I know it can feel overwhelming to keep up with the news. This is too important to ignore.
But that’s not the only blow to New Mexico’s public schools.
Just days ago, the Trump Administration pulled the plug on New Mexico’s extension to spend education-related pandemic relief dollars. That means essential funding we were counting on – for after-school programs, heating, ventilation, air conditioning improvements, and food – is suddenly off the table.
Trump’s attacks on our public education hit close to home for me. Let me tell you why:
These moves hurt students all across New Mexico. New Mexico has made important strides in public education, especially in early childhood. But now the federal support that our schools rely on to ensure that every student succeeds is on the chopping block.
It hurts low income children like my Somah. When it was time for Somah to attend preschool, I had no idea how I’d cover the costs. Luckily, I found a school that allowed parents to volunteer cleaning up classrooms in exchange for a discount on tuition. It wasn’t always easy, but it was the only way I could have afforded to send them to preschool.
I cleaned up my child’s preschool to reduce the bill.
It hurts people like me, who’ve taken on student loans. Believe it or not, I still owe tens of thousands in student loans. I made the decision to take on debt to attend undergrad and law school at UNM, and I swear, some days it feels like I’ll be paying them down forever. People across the country are getting crushed by the weight of student debt, and cutting the Department of Education further endangers critical funding for higher education access.
The day I graduated from UNM in 1994. 30 years later, I’m still paying down student loans.
I am running for governor because I have lived the struggles that too many people across this country currently face, and I’m determined to fix what’s broken. Our children are relying on us to fight for a bright future for them, and that’s what our campaign is about. I know that with Trump in the White House it can feel overwhelming, or like the odds are stacked against us. But if we come together, I know we will win.
Be fierce,
Deb
