School Board hears heated public comments at recent meeting

RIO RANCHO — The Rio Rancho Public Schools District School Board was bombarded with public requests when it met Sept. 23.

The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and introductions before board president Amanda Galbraith opened the floor for public comment.

Galbraith began by summarizing the 11 online comments the board received and notifying those in attendance that the board is not permitted to respond to public comment immediately.

Of the 11, five were advocating for “Safe Space” signage for LGBTQ students to be allowed back in RRPS schools; one was in support of creating a college-readiness training course for students; the other five were regarding placing Christian Bibles in public school libraries and allowing the formation of “Good News Clubs.”

The online comments reflected those made in person.

Eight people spoke: two regarding “Safe Space” signage and six concerning Bibles in school libraries.

The “Safe Space” signage, created by advocacy group EQUAL!, has been a hot-button issue for the district for more than a year now.

In September 2023, teachers at Cleveland High School received an email from school principal Scott Affentranger notifying them that all Pride flags must be removed from signage in the school.

At that time, RRPS released a statement saying in part, “We believe that all buildings, classrooms, and playgrounds should be safe spaces. We are all unified in this effort and chose not to represent one group of students individually from another but rather each school is unified in their support of ALL students ...”

Two RRPS teachers spoke in support of allowing the signage to include Pride flags.

“Saying rainbow Safe Space signs discriminate against students that are straight makes as much sense as saying having IEPs discriminates against general education students,” said Andrew Ryan, a teacher at Eagle Ridge Middle School.

Placing Bibles in school libraries was the most talked about issue, and everyone who spoke advocated for the presence of religious texts and “Good News Clubs” in RRPS schools.

According to the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), Good News Clubs are “evangelical Bible clubs for children ages 5-12.”

Jenny Beadle, a representative for the Rio Rancho chapter of CEF, spoke of her attempts to form a Good News Club at Enchanted Hills Elementary School, where she says her application was turned down.

“I’ve had to tell (the kids) we have sadly been denied being at their school,” she told the board, adding that she has filed suit with the Liberty Counsel, a 501c(3) Christian ministry that engages in strategic litigation to promote Evangelical Christian values.

Other community members referred to a “hostility towards the Christian community” in Rio Rancho.

Pastor Roy Weaver of Calvary Chapel pointed out, as did several others, that Supreme Court rulings do permit Bibles in public schools.

“Morally, ethically and constitutionally, this is a right and a freedom clearly spelled out, and it’s at no cost to our schools,” said Weaver.

A representative with Bibles in Schools confirmed to the board that the nonprofit is willing to donate Bibles to RRPS free of charge.

The 1963 Supreme Court Ruling Abington vs Schempp does ban the mandatory reading of religious texts in public schools, per the First Amendment, but it also specifies that Bibles are not banned books and are to be permitted in public schools.

RRPS communications director Wyndham Kemsley told the Observer via email that Bibles are already permitted in school libraries.

“(RRPS) is committed to maintaining a well-rounded, inclusive educational environment,” Kemsley said. “As part of our dedication to diversity and fostering critical thinking, we offer access to the Bible and age-appropriate biblical story books for elementary students, as well as a variety of other religious texts, in all RRPS schools. These materials are available in our libraries for educational and personal reflection purposes, allowing students to engage with a wide range of religious, cultural, and historical perspectives.”

Kemsley added that the district investigated the matter and found two schools were missing Bibles. New ones are on the way.

“We have determined that the Bibles in two schools have been misplaced, and we are currently working to resolve the issue and replace them,” he said.

Kemsley also addressed the accusations made by Beadle concerning the Good News Clubs denial of club status.

“We want to assure our community that all extracurricular programs and clubs are welcomed within (RRPS), as long as they submit and abide by the RRPS Facilities Use Agreement (FUA). The club in question is active at several other schools in the district and would be welcomed at Enchanted Hills Elementary, provided that they abide by the FUA rules and procedures, including acceptable maintenance of the facilities used.”

Public commenters were allowed three minutes apiece to address the board. The board thanked the speakers for their comments and moved on to other business.

Other business

The RRPS School Board passed four measures at the meeting. (Board member Gary Tripp was absent so only four votes were taken):

• The board approved the sale of the 3-acre overflow property known as the “Shining Stars” property to the Westside Cumberland Presbyterian Church for $150,000. The parcel is at the northwest corner of Montezuma Boulevard and Kaiser Road. The sale is subject to approval from the New Mexico State Board of Finance. The measure passed 4-0.

• The board heard a presentation from several teachers hoping to get RAMP certified and approved their petition to seek certification. A presentation to and approval from a local school board is a requirement for RAMP certification. The measure passed 4-0.

• The board approved the reception of a gift from the Rio Rancho Police Department of a retired service vehicle to be used at CTE for trade training. The car will be used for several pathways, including auto mechanics and the criminal justice program at Cleveland High School. Rio Rancho High School is in the process of creating a criminal justice program of its own. The measure passed 4-0.

• The board approved a state-mandated change to the school calendar. The change will mean middle school students will receive one extra day of virtual learning. The extra school day will be Wednesday, Apr. 21,2025 and is virtual-only in an effort to affect transportation requirements as little as possible. The measure passed 4-0.