RENO GAZETTE JOURNAL
MAY, 17 2022
As a teacher in Washoe County, I can tell you that knowledge is power, and one thing we all clearly know is that our schools are in crisis. Whether it’s our per-pupil funding or chance for success, Nevada ranks near the bottom of most education metrics.
I spend each day in our classrooms and here’s what most people may not know: If our kids can even get to school due to the bus driver shortage, they are then trying to learn in classrooms of 40 students or more, oftentimes being taught by substitutes as the District is struggling to hire qualified teachers. Our kids’ mental health is suffering and the best we can offer them are overloaded counselors and one school psychologist to support an entire school of 2,300 students. Instead of giving kids the extra support they need, we have leadership across the state who are so focused on boosting graduation rates that they pressure teachers to issue passing grades to students who have not mastered the skills or content for the class. Rather than preparing our students for success after high school, we are hobbling them for their futures.