By Kevin Hendricks
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich hosted a roundtable discussion with educators in Rio Rancho on April 16 to address concerns about federal funding cuts and their impact on public education.
The conversation at Rio TECH, home of Rio Rancho Public Schools’ Career Technical Education program, focused on President Donald Trump’s policies and their effects on students and teachers.
“We try to do these and sit down and hear directly from people who are in the trenches and from teachers about the pressures that they’re under right now and how all of the chaos in Washington sort of flows down to their everyday lives,” Heinrich said. “But then that flows down to the experience that these students have, which is really the future of our state and our country, right? Is what these kids can do with their lives. And I just think right now it’s a disservice to the kids in public education that it is as chaotic and frustrating as what we’re experiencing right now.”
Heinrich, who began his day in Albuquerque introducing gun violence prevention legislation, spent nearly an hour speaking with educators about challenges such as cuts to teacher professional development, lack of funding for special education and the impact of Title I and Title II funding.
A group of teachers from several Rio Rancho schools and the Rio Rancho School Employees Union President Billie Helean collectively emphasized the importance of federal funding for programs that play a critical role in supporting students.
“I am extraordinarily concerned, more concerned than I’ve ever been for so many reasons, specifically around education,” Helean said. “I think one of my chief concerns is cuts to teacher professional development, which is very worrying to me.”
Katharine Michel, a history teacher at Cleveland High School, shared concerns from students who question the value of education due to rising costs and funding cuts.
“They’re asking, ‘What’s the point of going to school?'” Mitchell said.
Heinrich said he is a product of public education and he’s concerned over the current administration’s “hostility” towards public education. He aimed to gather firsthand accounts to bring back to Washington D.C. for ongoing debates. Heinrich also mentioned instances of “canceled and obligated funds” from the Trump administration, calling the cancellations “illegal” and causing chaos within the education system.
Heinrich listened to and spoke about the critical challenges facing public education in New Mexico as federal funding cuts threaten to undermine educational opportunities for students.
The meeting revealed stark statistics: out of 16,807 students in Rio Rancho, 1,678 live below the poverty line, and 135 are experiencing homelessness, according to Helean. These students are directly impacted by approximately $14.8 million in funding cuts.
“I think the most important thing that every elected official who represents a state in Washington, D.C., can do is fight for public education and send a message of respect to public educators,” Heinrich said. “We would not be a functioning democracy without public education, and it should start with that message of respect. On top of that, we’re going to fight for all that funding. A lot of what got turned off was just flat out illegal.”
Heinrich said that federal funds typically comprise about 16% of school district budgets, supporting critical programs like school lunches and special education services.
The senator criticized the Trump administration for what he describes as “illegal funding clawbacks” and a disregard for the rule of law. He pledged to continue working with state attorneys general to challenge these cuts through legal channels.
“This is a president who does not respect the rule of law. So it’s going to be up to all of us to find the places where we can push back on that,” Heinrich said. “We’re going to be looking for all the different places where we can hold the administration accountable — and they’re there. The courts have been a really important part of that.”
Heinrich noted Trump has been “ignoring even rulings from the highest court in the land.”
The educators stressed the importance of sustained civic engagement, urging teachers and community members to actively support their representatives and continue pressuring for educational funding.
Helean has been a part of a group of educators who have been taking to the streets of Rio Rancho each weekend to protest the cuts to the Department of Education.
“We need to make sure that we’re supporting our congressmen and our senators, so that they know that they have our backing,” Helean said. “We need to make sure that we write to them, call them and actively participate in our democracy. We can not let up.”
The message was clear: The fight for public education is a marathon, not a sprint, and requires ongoing commitment from all stakeholders.
“This White House wants people to check out and give up,” Heinrich said. “And one of the most important things we can do is not do that.”