New Mexico school districts debate masks, local control

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s mask and vaccine requirements are drawing more fire from parents and officials. Members of the public spoke to the Las Cruces school board for more than an hour this week, with most parents railing against the district’s masking policy. In Carlsbad, citizens and elected officials demanded that the school district fight for control and do away with mask and vaccine requirements. There are similar concerns in Albuquerque, Aztec and Torrance County, where commissioners recently passed a resolution supporting local control and the authority of school boards to make decisions in the best interest of their students, staff and parents.