by Juan Serafica
“DR – EA – M. Dream!” Every day I teach Nevada’s children how to read. We preach college and career readiness in my school, yet Nevada is ranked dead last for educational outcomes. We are in last place for students’ chance of success in the annual Quality Counts rankings by Education Week. Assuming that nothing changes, less than half of my 21 students will go on to college.
As a Pell Grant recipient, I attended UNLV for my degree in Education. That money helped me in achieving my dream of becoming a teacher. I am reciprocating that grant back with public service, by teaching children how to attain dreams of their own.
Congressman Heck voted to cut Pell Grants for 35,000 Nevada students, and to raise student loan interest rates, essentially cutting off a path to college and self-improvement. Donald Trump, his party’s candidate for president, went so far as to say that he wants to abolish the Department of Education. Meanwhile, Catherine Cortez Masto and Hillary Clinton want to fully fund education, and support free college tuition for students whose families make under $125,000 – which describes 80% of Nevadan families according to the Census. These Democrats have my children’s best interests in mind.
Under the Obama administration, UNLV recently became recognized as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and selected for additional funding to support students. Trump doesn’t have a specific plan for Asian Americans and education, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the same man who called the Philippines a “terrorist nation” and Filipinos “animals” would not maintain additional support for the many Asian American students at UNLV.
Not all Republicans are opposed to education funding – in 2015 Governor Sandoval and a bipartisan group of legislators voted to increase state funding for education. I applaud our elected officials who are able to work together to invest in our kids and our future. I am proud to be able to give back to my country and to my city by helping children reach farther every day, and want our elected officials to back up their words with actions. I believe that Hillary Clinton as president and Catherine Cortez Masto in the U.S. senate would best support Nevada’s kids.
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Juan Serafica is a millennial graduate of UNLV and UNLV’s College of Education who teaches in Las Vegas’ public schools.
