Floyd School Board president proposes in-class learning despite current health orders

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) –  One southeastern New Mexico school board is proposing that multiple districts team up and get kids back into the classroom, despite current health guidelines. “We do not feel we have been given an option that will work,” said Floyd School Board President Leon Nall.

Nall sent a letter to all 89 school districts in New Mexico, with a proposal of opening classroom instruction for all students K-12, despite the current health guidelines from the state and the Public Education Department. “This is not an attack on the PED, on the decisions that are made by the governor. We just feel that the decisions that have been made are not working,” Nall said.

Nall said his letter was not to pick a fight with the PED or the governor’s office but just an idea, that if multiple school districts decided to open back up, it would be difficult for the state to shut them all down. “We know without a doubt that if Floyd schools is the only school that does this we can be shut down by noon. We feel that if there is enough school districts that also want to open up to in-class instruction, bringing their students in for the better quality education, it will be more difficult for us to be shut down by the state of New Mexico,” said Nall.

In the letter, it says that they feel if they can get seven or more school districts to hop on board, they can proceed with the plan. Nall said they plan to follow every guideline out there to keep every student and faculty member safe. They hope to open back up by March.

Nall said the Floyd School District only has 214 students and it will be pretty easy for them to socially distance which may be more difficult for larger districts. “We have some that have anxiety with this, we have some that fully support this, they all fear the repercussions from the state of New Mexico and their licensures,” said Nall.

Nall said, for the most part, all of their teachers and staff are on board with the proposal. He also said it is difficult to talk to parents that complain that there are students in the classroom 30 miles away.