Skandera clears committee, next stop the floor

Secretary-designate Hanna Skandera’s confirmation as Secretary of the Public Education Department passed the Senate Rules committee with no recommendation on a lengthy and at-times contentious confirmation hearing. Following the 5-4 vote, Skandera’s nomination now goes to the full Senate. Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, confirmed following the committee hearing that the plan was to bring […]

classroomSecretary-designate Hanna Skandera’s confirmation as Secretary of the Public Education Department passed the Senate Rules committee with no recommendation on a lengthy and at-times contentious confirmation hearing.

Following the 5-4 vote, Skandera’s nomination now goes to the full Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, confirmed following the committee hearing that the plan was to bring Skandera’s nomination to the floor later Monday afternoon.

Skandera said that she was proud of the work she has done over the last four years, all of which she has done as an unconfirmed leader of the PED.

“I hope that I have another four years to stand in this city and across the state and fight what are we going to do about it,” Skandera said of her education reform efforts.

She also defender her evaluation systems of both teachers and schools, both which have been heavily criticized.

“I stand here today that we do need to measure if we’re moving forward, moving backwards, seeing great change or not,” she said.

Gov. Susana Martinez first nominated Skandera to lead PED in 2011, but Skandera has not been confirmed in that time.

In 2014, Skandera finally received a confirmation hearing but she remained in limbo after a vote to move on her confirmation with no recommendation ended on a tie vote. A do-pass motion failed on a 6-4, party-line vote.

This time, aided by a recusal by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, D-Albuquerque, her nomination passed the committee with Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants, voting with the four Republicans to pass along her confirmation. It is the second year in which Sanchez was the lone Democrat to vote for Skandera’s nomination.

Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, presented Skandera’s nomination to the committee and praised her work over the last four years.

“There are new ideas from Secretary[-designate] Skandera,” Ingle said. “They are not always agreed with, as new ideas never are.”

Ingle was the only Republican to speak on the portion of the hearing on Skandera’s nomination.

Michael Sanchez said he did not believe that Skandera was qualified to serve as secretary of the Public Education Department.

“There’s nothing personal in my remarks to you,” Michael Sanchez said. “I can’t vote for your confirmation. I’ve never believed from day one that you’re qualified for that position.”

He said it wasn’t a partisan issue and he would say the same thing if a Democratic governor had nominated her.

Michael Sanchez also questioned Skandera about allegations of cheating on standardized tests in Shiprock and if there had been any investigation. Skandera said she would get back to him on that.

Clemente Sanchez said that he thought Senators were elected “to take some tough votes.”

“I think it is imperative that the entire body debate this nomination and take a vote up or down,” Clemente Sanchez said.

The committee hearing was extended thanks to an hour-long break in the middle. Michael Sanchez announced before Skandera’s hearing began that Senate Democrats planned on caucusing at 10:00 a.m.

The Senate took 20 minutes of public comment from supporters of Skandera before recessing. When the committee returned, they heard the same amount of public comment from those who opposed Skandera’s nomination.

During public testimony, several people said they did not always agree with Skandera but believed that Martinez deserved to appoint who she preferred to serve in her cabinet.

“Simply disagreeing with policy is not, I believe, enough to not confirm her,” Santa Fe Public Schools school board president Steven Carrillo said.

Many teachers spoke in opposition to Skandera’s nomination. Three common themes were that they did not believe Skandera is an experienced educator, as the state constitution requires for the PED secretary and that morale among teachers has dropped in the past four years and that testing is not fair and disrupts the school day.

Sen. Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, said he was concerned about the tone that came out of the former spokesman for Skandera’s department. He said that spokesman was “consistently demeaning, rude, and downright nasty” to anyone who disagreed or criticized the PED or the changes to education in the state.

Several Republican members of the panel were upset about the tone that came from opponents of Skandera, saying they should refer to her by her title and to avoid any personal attacks.

Ivey-Soto cited pending litigation between Rio Rancho’s Albuquerque Institute for Mathematics and Science charter school, which he represents, as a reason why he could not take part in the discussion or vote on Skandera.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report