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As retired teachers — of many years — and former Albuquerque Public Schools board members, we want to respond to Danielle Gonzales’s opinion piece in the March 15 Sunday Journal. As board members, we frequently disagreed on specific policies, but always shared a deep commitment to educators, students and the community. In both roles, students’ success and well-being were top of mind for us and our colleagues. As teachers of young children, we share an understanding of children. Young students need play, exploration, experiences that develop knowledge, and the need to be respected and supported with their language and culture.

We both continue to have close relationships with practicing educators, families and school communities. We hear concerns about increased testing, more related screen time and a focus on testing outcomes rather than the development of the whole child.

Consequently, the outcome of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation’s survey wasn’t a surprise.

A survey response rate of 30% is considered good, even according to some APS administrative staff. Around 30% is the typical response rate for email, as well as online surveys, according to most research. The union made no claim this survey was representative of 100% of APS teachers. Neither was there a claim the survey was research based.

Of course many surveys are riddled with leading questions, but who decides which questions fall into that category? Did those who completed the survey feel the questions were biased or leading them to elicit negative responses? We know teachers are smart enough and capable of recognizing biases and leading questions.

The Albuquerque Teachers Federation conducted and analyzed the survey. It was apparent this came from the teachers union, whose focus is representing and supporting the educators. Federation members didn’t try to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes. Their role is to make sure educators thrive so students can thrive.

Although the two of us writing this piece have different relationships with the union and the role we believe it should play in education policy, we both know that educators know their students. They have the expertise and creativity in their practice to serve their students. If their working conditions become too stressful with unreasonable demands that have nothing to do with their teaching, students suffer. It’s impossible to separate the needs of students and the needs of the adults. Having taught our entire careers, we can attest to this.

This survey is a call to action for collaborating to develop the environment and culture a healthy school district needs. We ask that those who denigrate our children’s performance to rather be uplifting in their praise of our students, who are more than capable of performing at the highest levels. Many times, that performance isn’t shown on a test, but rather in a beautifully drawn picture, a song well sung, a race well run, a word well spoken, a mind ready for a teacher’s instruction. We must preserve our students’ greatness and the probability of their success. Let’s make a positive turn, not doubting our educators' ability to teach and our students' ability to be academically successful. We know they’ll go beyond just academic success and bring goodness to our world.

Peggy �ѳܱ������-��������ó��, is a former Albuquerque Public Schools Board vice president and a former board member for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. 

Barbara Petersen is a former APS Board member and president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation New Mexico retirees.