Board Candidates Discuss Key Issues at Forum

Recording of forum available on Board of Education's YouTube page.

Candidates vying for a seat on the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education touched on everything from community engagement to how they would approach controversial decisions during a Wednesday evening forum held to help voters learn more about each candidate.

Dozens of spectators were on hand to hear the candidates, while many more watched online. Anyone who missed the forum can still watch it on the APS Board of Education YouTube channel.

Early voting begins on Oct. 7, and Election Day is Nov. 4. Successful candidates begin their four-year terms on Jan. 1.

The four board positions on the ballot this year are in Districts 3, 5, 6 and 7. 

District 3 encompasses Del Norte, Valley and Albuquerque High and their feeder elementary and middle schools. The district is currently represented by Board President Danielle Gonzales, who is seeking reelection. She is running against Isaac Alexander Flores and Rebecca Marie Betzen.

District 5 covers West Mesa High School and its feeder elementary and middle schools. Joshua S. Martinez and Brian Kevin Laurent Jr. are vying for the board position currently held by Crystal Tapia-Romero, who isn’t seeking reelection.

District 6 includes Manzano and Sandia high schools and their feeder elementary and middle schools. Two candidates are running in that district: David Adam Ams and Margaret S. Warigia Bowman. Josefina Dominguez, who currently holds the seat, isn’t seeking reelection.

District 7 covers La Cueva and Eldorado high schools and their feeder elementary and middle schools. Board Vice President Courtney Jackson is running against Kristin Renee Wood-Hegner in that district.

Seven of the nine candidates participated in the two-hour forum. Betzen and Ams were unable to attend. 

The forum was moderated by Leroy Silva, Trey Hill and Manny Harrison. Silva is the executive director of the Laguna Community Foundation. Hill is a junior at Volcano Vista High School and Harrison is a senior at Cibola High School.

Community members submitted the questions posed to candidates, which touched on everything from building community trust to strengthening partnerships between schools and families to support student success. Candidates also weighed in on book challenges, retaining qualified special education teachers, school safety and the district’s strategic plan. 

Voters and candidates can find their district and learn about voter registration, polling locations, the candidates, and more at the Board of Education election web page.

GO Bond

An APS General Obligation Bond question will also appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. If approved, the GO Bond would generate $350 million for a host of projects. 

Those projects include: converting 20 schools from evaporative coolers to refrigerated air and construction projects at 13 schools. The funding would also pay for a new career technical educational student training facility, a Taylor Middle School classroom block and a west side student special needs education facility.

Approval of the bond would not increase the current tax rate.