NMPED opens new hotline to address racism, bullying in schools
By Kalyn Norwood
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — There’s now a state-run hotline students and parents can call to report racism and bullying in New Mexico schools.
This is a part of a bigger push from the state to better meet the needs of Black students in New Mexico, but Deputy Secretary Dr. Vickie Bannerman made it clear this hotline is for everyone.
“Anyone who feels they have been subjected to racism, injustice, unfair treatment in schools, we encourage everyone, anyone to utilize this tool to report,” said Dr. Vickie Bannerman, deputy cabinet secretary of identity, equity, and transformation for the New Mexico Public Education Department.
NMPED opened the Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Hotline – 1-505-226-3911 – on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day focused on justice and equality. Bannerman is leading the charge. She said a hotline manager, as well as two others, are answering calls. Bannerman told us before this was an option, she acted as the hotline, receiving several concerning reports, such as, “A student who was made fun of by a teacher in a classroom and the teacher was making general sounds as if to call the child a monkey. So that was, that happened and that was absolutely and immediately addressed with full support from the school I might add,” Bannerman said.
She said there was another complaint from a parent, where the child was called a racial slur at school.
According to data from PED, in 2020, the four-year graduation rate for black students in New Mexico was 74%, which is 3 points below the state average and 7 points below the average for white students. The president of NAACP Albuquerque believes this hotline is a positive step for the state.
“I think it can be an effective communications network between the schools, students, and parents because I think the overall objective is to make sure we can do all we can to make sure our most precious commodity our children and youth are safe when they go to school,” said Dr. Harold Bailey, president of NAACP Albuquerque.
This hotline is in response to 2021 legislation that also required anti-racism policies for school districts and training for staff. Bannerman hopes one day this hotline is no longer needed.
The hotline is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you can leave a voicemail after hours.
Or email, hotline.bea@gmail.com, or fill out this form, forms.gle/Tmt5ne1GyfSLpEw56.
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