Home>Feature>Democrats Compare Opportunity Scholarships To Segregation

Governor Lombardo advocates for Opportunity Scholarships for low- income students (Photo: @JosephMLombardo)

Democrats Compare Opportunity Scholarships To Segregation

If facts are still relevant, over half of the students who receive Opportunity Scholarships are minorities

By Megan Barth, August 8, 2023 1:02 pm

A new (low) talking point has been making the rounds on X (formerly Twitter) as Nevada Democrats continue to sabotage school choice and Opportunity Scholarships for low-income students. If facts are still relevant, over half of the students who receive Opportunity Scholarships are minorities. Perhaps Assemblyman Max Carter (AD-12) and Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom were simply unaware of the data, or they are simply resorting to divisive partisan politics designed to pander to the powerful teachers’ unions.

Taking a trip back in time to 2018, one month before Steve Sisolak became Nevada’s Democratic governor, he spoke to Hispanics in Politics about his passion for education. As reported by The Nevada Current, Sisolak stated:

“‘Education is one of my top priorities because I believe it is a great equalizer,’ Sisolak said. ‘Everyone should have the opportunity for better school regardless of their ZIP code or bank account.’

Was Sisolak a segregationist?

In 2019, the opportunity for low-income children to attend better schools, regardless of their zip code, was obliterated by Governor Sisolak and the Democratic majority by the passage of  Senate Bill 321–a bill introduced and sponsored by Senator Marilyn Dondero Loop–which abolished the Achievement School District that allowed for low-performing public schools to be converted into charter schools overseen by the Department of Education. The Achievement School District was created by the Republican-controlled 2015 legislature.

When Sisolak signed SB321, twelve potential and identified schools were abolished or converted into the failing public school system.

Fast forward to this year’s legislative session where the Democratic majority sought to “starve” the Opportunity Scholarship program, but now refuse to publicly defend their decision which has negatively impacted hundreds of low-income, minority families.

If there is a “segregation movement,” as Segerblom and Carter claim, it is being led by the thousands of low-income, minority families who apply for Opportunity Scholarships and the hundreds who are at risk of losing them. Based on test scores, one could easily argue that public schools have failed the majority of Hispanic and Black families.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 13 out of 100 black eighth-grade students are proficient in math, and only 15 out of 100 are proficient in reading.

As reported by The Globe, testing scores of 3rd to 8th grade students in Clark County, taken and published by Smart Balance Assessments, show that only 3.9% of Black students and 7.4% of Hispanic students were proficient in Math. In English, 11.2% of Black students and 15.7% of Hispanic students were proficient. Overall, only 20 percent of Clark County students tested proficient in English Language Arts. In math, it was 11.5 percent.

Valeria Gurr, Senior Fellow at the American Federation of Children, told The Globe: “In light of the fact that the public education system is either unwilling or unable to educate Hispanic and Black students at a sufficient level, we demand a new system. One that is constructed by our community and where parents hold authority. This is not racist – what is racist is allowing low-income students of color to stay in failing public schools for decades, suffering the consequences of a broken system.”

In spite of the Democratic majority’s efforts to starve the program, Governor Lombardo has proposed a $3.2 million lifeline for the Opp0rtunity Scholarship program which will be considered tomorrow morning by the Democrat-controlled Interim Committee on Finance. The public is encouraged to attend and/or provide comment.

The Globe will continue to provide updates to this developing story.

Megan Barth
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3 thoughts on “Democrats Compare Opportunity Scholarships To Segregation

  1. I will scream LOUDER!!! For the people in the back who don’t get it. YOU democrats are being segregationist, redlining academics.

    I in the 1980’s, a little mixed black and white girl got to go to schools outside my district. I go a better education from schools that would be called charters now.

    Guess what…. It was called “De-segregation”, it was the dawn of the civil rights era that my black and white parents were activists for and advocates for.

    Don’t you dare keep trying to rewrite history and do your word salad to prey on the heart strings of caring people.

    ALL opposed to school choice and opportunity scholarships, you are behaving the same as the people I’m the 1970’s and 1980’s who didn’t want “racial jungles” in their neighborhoods…. Actually Biden said that. If your voted for him and our Vice President, she called him out on that.

    Stop redlining and being the actual segregationists. It’s annoying and a lie. Stop twisting the narrative and stop twisting history.

    Call me any time and I’ll let you know how wrong you are 702-449-9788.
    Elise Carey – Las Vegas concerned resident and opportunity recipient called DE-SEGRAGATION that you all have twisted into oblivion.

    What an insult. We see you and will vote you the heck out.

  2. Way to go Elsie ! If anyone ever just stopped to think about it, every issue that helps a community the democrats opposed it and never because of any solid reason. They just scream racism and try to demogue the Republicans. They have been doing it for decades and you would think that people would be getting tired of it by now and seeing thru it.

    1. Chesty Puller, I’m in tears. I was raised in the most free to be you and me place there was in Seattle, Wa in the 70’s and 80’s. Something has run afoul when there is a total flip flop of what my black and white family advocated for and we’re activists for. It’s heart breaking right now for many and that dies not mean we stop. It’s called pull up the boot straps from our ancestors and fulfill the legacies passed down through determination and strength, can’t stop and won’t stop fir true justice of equality and ensuring safe passage for our brilliant future leaders to be steadfast on their mission in life, supported in their convictions in humanitarianism and the strength to resist gangs. Gangs of the streets to politicians.

      I have faith in those who are experiencing temporary set backs by political gangs. They will shine through.., give them a minute.

      Comfy perch holders of power right now…. Haha get ready for the honor students who you have voted against. They grow up.

      Patience is a virtue.

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