Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, perhaps even Myspace. What do all of these platforms have in common? They weren’t around when some members of the Carson City School Board were in elementary school or middle school. Some of the board didn’t have access to any of these platforms when they were high school students. This gap in generational awareness can lead to decisions being made without a full understanding of the environment students navigate every day.
It leads to adults once again making decisions without considering how it affects those in the classroom. We are old enough to understand the importance of active shooter drills, old enough to be aware of our surroundings and to say something when we see something, but never old enough to be heard. Today I need to be heard, I am advocating for myself and my peers.
I am writing as a student of the Carson City School District to share my perspective on the recent decision to let go of school social workers due to funding cuts. Many people may not fully understand the challenges that students my age face every day, challenges that extend far beyond the classroom.
Mental health struggles, family stress with current events, bullying, and social pressures can make it difficult to focus on school and to succeed. Social workers are not just helpers, they are lifelines, mentors, and advocates for students navigating these challenges.
I am asking the School Board to reconsider this decision. Please hear us, the students who walk through the halls every day, who face these struggles firsthand. Investing in social workers is not just funding positions, it is investing in the well-being, safety, and future success of every student in this district.
We deserve to be supported, to be seen, and to have adults in our schools who are ready to help us navigate the challenges of today with all the disappointments we have already faced and continue to face. Give us the one lifeline we need to have a shot at a future.
– Co-written by A.L. & A.G.L., students of the Carson City School District
Editor’s note: We independently verified the authors are current students of CCSD, but at the request of their parents, we are editing their names for privacy reasons as they are juveniles.
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