STATE EDUCATION News:
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Public and Higher Education Departments join a national effort raising awareness about the dangers of gun violence and share information aimed at preventing tragedies in schools, homes and communities during National Gun Violence Awareness Month.
Staff members at PED are wearing orange on Wednesdays in June in solidarity with advocates nationwide working to end gun violence. Every year in the United States, 19,000 children and teens are shot and killed or wounded, and approximately 3 million are exposed to gun violence. More than 455 New Mexicans die each year by firearm, or about one person every 20 hours.
The departments join Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the New Mexico Department of Health and other state agencies participating in the month-long campaign to recognize survivors of gun violence and advocate for safer communities and schools throughout the state.
“An absolutely critical measure of a successful environment for education is a baseline of safety,” said Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero. “We are committed to doing everything in our power to make sure that every child that comes to school returns home safely.”
“Too many New Mexicans suffer from the devastating impacts of preventable gun violence, which is now tragically the leading cause of death for children and young people,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez. “I support Gov. Lujan Grisham’s common-sense firearm policies and urge every student, parent, educator and every New Mexican to join in creating safer schools, campuses and communities by adopting gun-safe practices and keeping learning spaces gun free.”
Since 2020, deaths by firearm have surpassed car accidents, illness and accidents as the leading cause of death among children ages 1-19, with an average of 33 New Mexico children dying by guns each year.
Gov. Lujan Grisham signed two bipartisan measures this year designed to prevent unlawful access and use of firearms by minors and third parties. House Bill 9 created the crime of negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor, with harsher penalties for adults who make firearms available to minors resulting in great bodily harm or death. House Bill 306 makes the unlawful purchase or transfer of a firearm to another a fourth-degree felony.
New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence is working toward reducing firearm injury and death through public health, education, advocacy and public awareness. PED and HED are honored to partner to empower children in New Mexico to get involved in advocating for gun safety.
“New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence has been working with youth in schools for ten years. Too often, we see how scared, sad and confused our children are when it comes to gun violence in their lives,” said Miranda Viscoli, co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence. When we engage with youth on this issue, we create a much-needed space for discussion and action, while sending them a clear message that we care about their safety and well-being.”
NMPGV empowers students to become gun safety advocates. They work with students throughout New Mexico on the Student Pledge Against Gun Violence, a national program that honors the role that young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence.
Since the program began working with Santa Fe Public Schools, there has been a 54% drop in students bringing weapons to school (Source: YouthRisk.org). They have worked with hundreds of students in New Mexico and thousands have signed the pledge. The youth-driven program is art-based, with NMPGV sponsoring all supplies and working with students in their art classes, at lunch or after school.
The New Mexico Department of Health is also partnering with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence to distribute free gun locks. People interested in receiving a gun lock at no charge can call (323) 394-1131 or email info@newmexicanstopreventgunviolence.org.
New Mexico Public Education Department
The New Mexico Public Education Department partners with educators, communities and families to ensure that all students are healthy, secure in their identity and holistically prepared for college, career and life. Currently, the NMPED serves more than 317,000 students in 187 districts and charter schools. Find an abundance of resources for administrators, educators, families and students at New Mexico Public Education Department (state.nm.us) or follow the NMPED on Facebook and Instagram.
New Mexico Higher Education Department
The New Mexico Higher Education Department was established in 2005 and oversees the state’s public and tribal colleges, universities and special schools. It also oversees adult education and literacy programs statewide, manages state-funded financial aid programs and capital projects for higher education institutions, provides college readiness services via the GEAR UP program, and grants state authorization to private colleges operating within New Mexico. For more information, visit hed.nm.gov or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @NMHigherEd.
Department of Health
The Department of Health works to promote health and wellness, improve health outcomes, and deliver services to all New Mexicans. As New Mexico’s largest state agency, DOH offers public health services in all 33 counties and collaborates with 23 Native American tribes, Pueblos and nations.
New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence
New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence (NMPGV) is a 501(c)3 non-partisan organization whose mission is to reduce firearm injury and death through public health, education, advocacy, and public awareness, in order to protect the safety of our families and communities. We are several thousand members strong from across the state of New Mexico. We partner with schools, school boards, cities, counties, police departments and interfaith groups as well as national and local organizations to reduce gun violence in our state.
