By ERIC ALMAN
Student
Los Alamos High school
The new policy for high school graduation requirements is a topic being discussed throughout schools across the state of New Mexico. The new graduation requirements are a bit redundant in my opinion. The policy is supposed to drop the requirement of taking an Algebra 2 class and instead requiring students to take a higher level of mathematics.
It also proposes that there be more career clusters, work study, and study out in the community. I believe that this is a bit of a problem because not everyone has the ability to do higher levels of math. Also, people throughout the state are dealing with poverty issues. Most families in New Mexico barely have enough money to feed themselves and their children. If the requirements change, it could negatively impact those in poverty. So I believe that they should not change the graduation requirements for high schools in New Mexico.
To start off, the math requirement to take a higher level of mathematics other than algebra 2 is a bit redundant. Some people with disabilities won’t be able to graduate if this changes. For example, people with disabilities like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other disabilities that hamper learning; they don’t have the ability to understand certain concepts and they struggle with simple things and or harder things. So if Algebra 2 is not a requirement, then people with disabilities will really struggle to graduate high school. This is because algebra 2 is easier and not as high of a level of math compared to like trigonomics or calculus. People with disabilities are more likely to take algebra 2 because of the easier work load the class gives.
Second of all, poverty is a problem in the state. Most families can’t provide enough to their children because of taxes and because they don’t make enough money Mixed results from annual Kids Count Data Book. For the Hispanic and white population in poverty, 39% of Hispanic families and 22% of white families are not eating enough due to the cost of groceries. There is plenty of evidence on the internet talking about how hunger affects learning Feeding America: Help Kids Facing Hunger This School Year. If kids are not getting enough to eat, then they won’t get good scores on assignments and won’t be able to focus in class.
However, these requirement changes could benefit the community and high school students. This is because the House Bill 126 mentions for there to be more classes that get students out in the community like work study to educate teens about the workplace and to help out in their community. Work study programs allow students to learn how to be in the workplace and to learn job skills while getting paid to do it. This is beneficial because it allows teens to explore their community and get working experience so they can do better in the workplace setting and when they look for a job in the future. New Mexico Legislature
The requirements mentioned in House Bill 126 are almost the same as the requirements before this bill was created. Although they are about the same, they feel like they will create problems for people in poverty and people with disabilities. The changes will just create more poverty and will make people drop out of high school. The New Mexico Legislature should not change the graduation requirements, even though they really won’t make much of a difference. If they do change the requirements, it will cause a lot of problems. The New Mexico Legislature should decline the bill because it will worsen poverty and will make people with disabilities struggle with graduating from high school.
Sincerely,
Eric “Luna” Alman
