At its special August 23rd meeting, the Artesia Public Schools Board of Education voted 5-0 to join the
current lawsuit initiated by the Gallup Schools, Gallup-McKinley County Schools et. Al. vs. Ryan Stewart,
Ed. L. D., et. Al. No. D-101-CV-202-02194. The lawsuit seeks to establish more authority for local
decisions regarding schools, to curtail state level directives, and to ensure more sharing of authority
between the state and local school boards.
Lowell Irby commented on the board vote, stating, “We want to ensure that Artesia families have a
voice in the education of their children. We will be asking the courts to protect the authority of local
boards in making decisions for their communities and to protect the role of families in educating their
children. While this lawsuit is an important step, at the same time, the district will continue to seek new
partnerships and meetings with the Public Education Department, in an effort to find agreements where
we can. It’s all about kids and families, and we will do all we can to make sure Artesia’s kids have an
excellent education.”