SANTA FE—Monday, Judge Dustin Hunter granted a preliminary injunction on the Public Education Department's rule mandating a 180-day school year. The lawsuit has 89 separate plaintiffs, including school districts and superintendents, who are all protesting the implementation of the rule. 

Senator Greg Nibert (R-Roswell), who has fiercely advocated against the rule since its inception, issued the following statement regarding the preliminary injunction:

"I was happy to see the Court conclude that a preliminary injunction should be issued preventing PED from enforcing the unlawful rule. The legislature was clear that it instituted an hourly requirement and left it up to local school boards to determine how that instructional hour requirement would be met.  In rural New Mexico, the local school boards meet the needs of students, families, and teachers from every walk of life. This ill-conceived rule would disproportionately impact them by effectively ending the four-day week many rural schools have used for decades. I look forward to a permanent resolution soon and have asked the Court to allow me to submit a brief."

The attorneys meet with the Judge today to discuss the scheduling of the permanent requested relief.