SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – New Mexico Public Education Secretary Arsenio Romero resigned on Wednesday. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced his resignation and said it was effective immediately. He was the governor’s fourth Public Education Department Secretary serving since February of last year.
Romero is still one of the five finalists to be president of New Mexico State University. The university said they’re nowhere near close to filling that position.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Office sent this statement:
Gov. Lujan Grisham gave Secretary Romero a choice to either resign and continue pursuing the NMSU position or stay on the job and withdraw his candidacy at NMSU. The Secretary of the Public Education Department is critically important in New Mexico and the governor believes it’s imperative that the person serving in this role be fully committed to the job.
Michael Coleman, Spokesperson