Part 2:

My son Ben brought home a math test last week: 20%. I nearly cried. His teacher sighed and said, “He’s not alone, Jamie.” Not alone? That’s supposed to make me feel better? Nevada’s kids are drowning in a sea of failure, and the people in charge are just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I’m lying awake at night, picturing Ben stuck in a dead-end job because he can’t add fractions. This isn’t just a bad report card; it’s a betrayal of every kid in this state.

The numbers are brutal. In Clark and Washoe Counties, fewer than 30% of kids are proficient in math or reading. That means most of our children, my Sarah included, are functionally illiterate. I’m not exaggerating, it’s that bad. Imagine a classroom where seven out of ten kids can’t read a simple book or solve a basic equation. That’s Nevada in 2025. Meanwhile, states like Florida spend about the same per student but rank near the top nationally. What’s their secret? Leaders who actually care about results, not excuses. I’m sick of hearing “we need more funding” when billions are poured into schools that produce kids who can’t read.

I’m anxious every time I think about my kids’ future. Will they be ready for college, a trade, anything? My heart aches for them, for all the kids stuck in this broken system. The love I have for Sarah and Ben keeps me fighting, but the anger’s there too, burning hot. Why are our leaders letting this happen? Superintendents and school boards pat themselves on the back while our kids fall further behind. I’m not letting this go. Next, I’m looking at why half our classrooms are empty, and why no one’s doing a damn thing about it.

Stay tuned, in Part 3, I expose the truancy epidemic that’s emptying our classrooms and letting kids slip through the cracks.

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