With the Yazzie/Martinez hearing right around the corner, we thought we'd publish the perspective of our long time partner at SEL4NM, Dr. McConnell Franklin. We also want to see a focus on the mental, emotional, cultural and physical health of every student.

Late last year I had the honor of working with a refugee education initiative where I met with educators whose job is to support young people who are going through traumatic experiences. I learned that the priorities for educators in these settings are clear:

1. Provide emotional, social, and physical safety.
2. Foster reliable, respectful relationships with peers and adults.
3. Equip students with skills to navigate their emotions, make sense of their experiences, and integrate these into their identities and futures.

But this got me thinking: shouldn’t these be the priorities of all educators? I believe all students deserve to learn skills that will help them navigate their emotions and relationships. Students in New Mexico are increasingly working to help each other build emotional and social skills through programs like Teen and Youth Mental Health First Aid and even through paid, peer mentoring internships. What more could they accomplish if everything they learned in school prioritized their mental health and wellbeing more than the grade they received? 

After all, students everywhere experience significant struggles - trauma, instability, and hardship - that affect their ability to engage in learning. When students are dealing with stress, it doesn’t matter what it’s from. Their brains often go into survival mode, which makes it difficult for them to access the cognitive skills needed for academic success. When this happens, emotional and social safety must be prioritized in order for students - and educators - to be able to engage fully in the learning process.

The Yazzie/Martinez decision is a powerful reminder that the well-being of our students cannot be separated from their ability to succeed academically. As a state, we have the opportunity - and the responsibility - to create schools where students feel truly safe and where their diverse identities are celebrated. Schools must be places of emotional safety, curiosity, creativity, and empathy.

New Mexico’s spirit of unity and respect for cultural diversity calls us to act. It is time to create an education plan that goes beyond academic support and includes a strong focus on students' health and wellness, ensuring that we build the conditions of  emotional, social, and physical safety that students need to thrive. Schools must be places where every student feels they belong, where their identities are celebrated, and where their well-being is central to their success. Let’s fulfill the promise made by the Yazzie/Martinez ruling and ensure that our education system supports not only the academic needs but also the mental, emotional, cultural and physical health of every student. The future of our children - and the future of New Mexico - depend on it.

By working together with organizations, schools, and students, we can co-create learning communities in which New Mexico’s students are successful because of who they are and where they come from, contributing to a more just, peaceful and sustainable future for all.